Today, Monarto Safari Park joins conservationists around the world in celebrating the first-ever World Scimitar-horned Oryx Day – and one of the greatest animal comeback stories in modern history.

Once extinct in the wild, the Scimitar-horned Oryx (Oryx dammah) now walks free again in its desert homeland. It’s a global win for conservation, and Monarto Safari Park has been instrumental in making it possible.

Declared Extinct in the Wild in the 1990s, the Oryx’s survival hinged entirely on the care and coordination of zoos and conservation programs. Now, after years of planning, breeding and reintroduction, its status has officially changed to Endangered on the IUCN Red List – a rare reversal in the conservation world.

Breeding hope in South Australia

Monarto Safari Park’s work with Scimitar-horned Oryx stretches back more than 30 years. A major turning point came in 2011, when a genetically strong herd was relocated from the Northern Territory’s Mary River Station, forming the basis of an ambitious breeding program.

Since then, Monarto Safari park has welcomed 119 calves – each one contributing to a genetically diverse and sustainable insurance population. In 2023, 38 Oryx were released into Monarto’s Wild Africa, a 550-hectare open-range habitat designed to replicate their native savannah.

“To see these animals roaming free in such a vast and natural space is incredibly rewarding,” said Monarto Safari Park Acting Director Dr Ian Smith. “It reminds us of what’s possible when people come together to protect a species.”

Global recovery, local leadership

In Chad, where the Oryx once roamed in herds of thousands, the species disappeared completely by the late 1980s. But in 2016, a bold reintroduction program led by Sahara Conservation and the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi began to restore the population to the wild.

Since then, 285 Oryx have been released into the unfenced Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve. These animals are now fully free-ranging, and they’ve begun breeding on their own. With at least 140–160 mature individuals now confirmed, the species has officially qualified for a move from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered.

“This is one of the few times we’ve seen a species go from zero to viable in the wild again,” said Dr Smith. “It’s a powerful story – and we’re proud that Monarto Safari Park is part of the global solution.”

Monarto Safari Park is part of Zoos SA, a proud member of the Conservation Centres for Species Survival (C2S2) alliance, which helps safeguard at-risk species through science-led breeding and habitat partnerships; as well as the regional ZAA cooperative breeding program.

See the comeback in action

Scimitar-horned Oryx can be seen right across the 1550 hectares of Monarto Safari Park, both from the Zu-loop bus tour included as part of a general admission ticket, or from the private safari experiences through Wild Africa, exclusive for guests of the new Monarto Safari Resort.

“Visitors play a huge role in this story,” said Dr Smith. “By coming to Monarto, you’re supporting the programs that bring species back from the edge.”

As the world celebrates World Scimitar-horned Oryx Day for the first time, Monarto Safari Park reflects with pride – and looks ahead to a future where extinction isn’t the end of the story.