ABÁIGAR, T., YOUM, B. ET AL. (2009)

ABÁIGAR, T., YOUM, B., NIAGA , M., ENSENYAT, C. & CANO, M. (2009)

The role of Senegal in the recovery of the Sahelo-Saharan antelope species: The case of the reintroduction of Dorcas Gazelle.

GNUSLETTER 28(1): 6-8.

Abstract:

Abstract. During the last 25 years Senegal made a significant effort to recover the three sahelo Saharan species which disappeared from its sahelian region: the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), the mhorr gazelle (Gazella dama mhorr) and the dorcas gazelle (G. dorcas). With this purpose, the Senegalese government created two fauna reserves: the Guembeul Reserve and the Ferlo North Reserve. The mhorr gazelle was reintroduced in 1984 and the scimitar-horned oryx in 1999. The reintroduction of dorcas gazelles started in April 2007 with a project conceived to be carried out in three phases: phase 1) translocation of 20 gazelles (6.14) from the captive global population living in several zoological institutions in Europe to the Guembeul Reserve, phase 2) acclimtation to the new environmental and management conditions and growing of population under genetic control, and phase 3) translocation of part of the gazelles from the Guembeul Special Fauna Reserve to the North Ferlo Fauna Reserve and genetic reinforcement of the reintroduced population. After 14 months of the reintroduction, the gazelles are well adapted to the new conditions and now number 31 gazelles (9.22). To assure the success of the reintroduction project, other actions related with training and education of local people were carried out.

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