This species became extinct in its natural habitat, but has now been reintroduced to Senegal, Morocco and Tunisia, thanks to the captive-breeding programme run by the Arid Zones Research Station in Almeria, under the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
This species is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered, and is now the focus of a European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) ex situ conservation programme (EEP)
A Mhorr Dama gazelle (Nanger dama mhorr) has been born at Barcelona Zoo. This species is native to the subdesert regions of southern Morocco and Western Sahara, and is currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The male animal was born on 7 February, the fawn of one of the females of the group and the breeding male. The fawn is in good health and is already interacting with the rest of the group, with his mother always nearby.
“This birth is another success story for the Zoo’s species conservation work,” says Sito Alarcon, the director of Barcelona Zoo, who also highlighted the importance of the specific programmes aimed at recovering this species. “Barcelona Zoo has been collaborating [with these programmes] for some time, because their goals include the recovery of biodiversity in the Sahel, a region that is highly threatened by climate change and human pressure.”
Successful species reintroduction
The Mhorr Dama gazelle is a rare subspecies of Dama gazelle that lives in the subdesert regions of southern Morocco and Western Sahara. The main threats to its natural habitat are indiscriminate hunting and the loss and degradation of the environment due to excessive grazing and livestock farming.
This species of antelope became extinct in its natural habitat, but in 1971, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)’s Arid Zones Research Station started a captive-breeding programme which made it possible to reintroduce the species in Senegal (the Guembeul Natural Reserve), Morocco (R’Mila Royal Reserve) and Tunisia (Bou-Hedma National Park).
The success of this CSIC programme also led to the launching of a European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) ex situ conservation programme (EEP), which has ensured the continuation of the species. However, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently lists the Mhorr Dama gazelle as critically endangered.
Barcelona Zoo is actively participating in these two programmes for reintroducing the Mhorr Dama gazelle.
