The status of Arabian Gazelles Gazella arabica (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) in Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve and Ras Ash Shajar Nature Reserve, Oman

Mansoor H. Al Jahdhami; Sultan Al Bulushi; Haitham Al Rawahi; Waheed Al Fazari; Ahmed Al Amri; AbdulRahman Al Owaisi; Salim Al Rubaiey; Zahran Al Abdulasalam; Metab Al Ghafri; Shaeilendra Yadav; Sami Al Rahbi; Steven Ross

doi:10.11609/jott.3398.9.7.10369-10373

Journal of Threatened Taxa (Jul 2017)

The status of Arabian Gazelles Gazella arabica (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae) in Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve and Ras Ash Shajar Nature Reserve, Oman

Mansoor H. Al Jahdhami,
Sultan Al Bulushi,
Haitham Al Rawahi,
Waheed Al Fazari,
Ahmed Al Amri,
AbdulRahman Al Owaisi,
Salim Al Rubaiey,
Zahran Al Abdulasalam,
Metab Al Ghafri,
Shaeilendra Yadav,
Sami Al Rahbi,
Steven Ross

Affiliations

Mansoor H. Al Jahdhami: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Sultan Al Bulushi: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Haitham Al Rawahi: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Waheed Al Fazari: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Ahmed Al Amri: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
AbdulRahman Al Owaisi: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Salim Al Rubaiey: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Zahran Al Abdulasalam: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Metab Al Ghafri: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Shaeilendra Yadav: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Sami Al Rahbi: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.
Steven Ross: Office for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Oman.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3398.9.7.10369-10373
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 7
pp. 10369 – 10373

Abstract

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We conducted distance sampling surveys of the Arabian Gazelle (Gazella arabica) in two protected areas, Al Wusta Wildife Reserve (WWR) and Ras Ash Shajar Nature Reserve (RSNR), regarded as important for gazelle conservation in northern and central Oman. The survey in WWR estimated a gazelle density of 0.161 gazelles/km2 in the surveyed area, and in RSNR an estimated density of 25.8 gazelles/km2. The density of Arabian Gazelle in RSNR is the highest recorded for a wild population. Using gazelle sighting frequency in non-surveyed parts of each reserve, we estimate Arabian Gazelle populations of 498 and 505 in WWR and RSNR, respectively. Our surveys demonstrated the potential for a high density of gazelles in well protected and productive habitats, but also that the Arabian Gazelle are in decline in WWR, most likely as a result of poaching and competition with domestic livestock.

Published in Journal of Threatened Taxa

ISSN: 0974-7893 (Print); 0974-7907 (Online)
Publisher: Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society
Country of publisher: India
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology; Science: Natural history (General): General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
Website: https://threatenedtaxa.org/

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