Plans to tackle the drought at the Mahazat Al-Said wildlife reserve in Asir have been put on hold after the reserve witnessed the first Arabian Oryx birth of the year. The National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) had planned to move 25 Oryx from the reserve as well as install three meteorology stations following an increase in the number of animal deaths and a sharp decrease in mating activity in birds, deer and the Arabian Oryx. In recent months, however, the reserve has registered the first Oryx birth of the year plus 200 ostrich and seven deer births, believed to be as a result of recent rains which have led to increased vegetation growth in the area. Mahazat Al-Said nature reserve was established to reintroduce Arabian Oryx into their natural habitat after being bred in captivity. The first release into the wild of the Oryx occurred in Dec. 1988.
