“Ta’ali, ta’ali… come, come,” Ahmed Hanash whispered, as he stealthily approached a timid younger buck of the endangered Nubian ibex standing statuesque on the escarpment of clay-colored cliffs. This endemic species is being reintroduced right into a protected habitat in Soudah’s King Abdullah Nationwide Park as a part of a rewilding program to enhance regional biodiversity.
Previously a visitors policeman in Riyadh, however native to Soudah, Ahmed fell into environmental conservation by probability. Raised in a household with livestock herds, he had realized to maintain goats since childhood, nurturing them and treating their wounds and fractures.
Together with his pure affinity for wildlife, Ahmed Hanash appears to have received the belief of the elusive Nubian Ibex in Soudah. {Photograph} by Rena Effendi
A number of years in the past, when his mom’s well being worsened, Ahmed moved again to his hometown. “I wasted two years doing different jobs. I’ve at all times liked nature and all dwelling creatures,” Ahmed stated. When an advert for the caretaker’s place was printed, Ahmed utilized instantly and obtained the job.
“The ibex are clever and cautious animals with the traits of a daily goat, that are very acquainted to me,” he stated.
Dr. Jacky Judas, a conservation biologist in command of the re-wilding undertaking, led me into the enclosure set amid a juniper forest, a spot the place the ibex are cared for. A 4–meter fence retains them secure—barbed concertina wire prevents baboon intrusions, whereas the bottom of the fence, strengthened with rocks, stops feral canines from digging in.
Dr. Jacky Judas is heading up the rewilding undertaking in Soudah’s Pink Rock area, fastidiously tending to the panorama and wildlife in efforts to get better and shield native species. {Photograph} by Rena Effendi
Wearing a leaf patterned camouflage vest and slenderly constructed, Ahmed carried a department of hopbush, shaking it gingerly as he walked in direction of a small herd lurking within the bushes. One after the other, the ibex got here out of hiding, lured by the scent of herbs. Ahmed rolled a wheelbarrow with alfalfa and poured water into plastic tubs.
Dr. Judas advised me that the animals had been so accustomed to Ahmed that they fed from his arms. Everybody else needed to preserve their distance.
Standing a dozen yards behind, I watched an ibex buck with spectacular, crescent-shaped horns separate from the herd and trot confidently in direction of Ahmed. The buck stood up on his hind legs and positioned his entrance hooves gently on Ahmed’s chest whereas munching on a leafy department from his hand.
“Wallah, I swear to God, that is my real love,” stated Ahmed, beaming with pleasure.
Fifteen ibex had been transported to Pink Rock in 2021 from the captive breeding middle of the Nationwide Heart for Wildlife in Al-Thumamah’s King Khalid Heart for Wildlife Analysis, an arid lowland desert about 50 miles north of Riyadh. There have been 9 births in captivity, because the ibex tailored to native local weather and vegetation below the crew’s watchful eye.
A Nubian ibex buck stands amid the plush and verdant panorama of Soudah. {Photograph} by Rena Effendi
Ahmed named every ibex primarily based on his notion of their particular person character traits, giving them names like Reem, Rose, Maha, Marwa, and Shaden for the does, and Gafal, Wallan, Ghaith, Fazza, and Tamim for the bucks. Among the many herd is a skittish one and an ignorant one, and one who’s a pure chief. Ghaith means the blessing of the rain, Tamim means lovely. “They acknowledge my voice after I name them,” stated Ahmed, smiling.
Single and in his late thirties, Ahmed lives together with his aged dad and mom in Soudah, tending to their well being. A carer by and thru, he walks on the Pink Rock escarpment day-after-day with a radio telemetry machine monitoring the ibex actions and accumulating knowledge from their collars, that are outfitted with GPS, radio and satellite tv for pc transmission, in addition to exercise and mortality sensors.
The rocks loom over the pristine forest of juniper bushes, the place weaver chicken nests hold low, however this was not at all times an idyllic panorama. Dr. Judas advised me that his undertaking crew had eliminated over 200 tons (180,000 kilograms) of strong waste, plastic, metal and blocks of concrete from the world to arrange it for animal re-introductions. Laborers additionally bodily eliminated 220 tons (200,000 kilograms) of invasive species of cacti from the nationwide park, entry to which is now restricted to people and partially fenced off.
Earlier than reintroducing the ibex, tons of artifical waste and invasive plant species needed to be faraway from the nationwide park. {Photograph} by Rena Effendi
In February 2023, all of the ibex had been launched into the wild. Sadly, Ghaith, Wallan and Fazza died preventing through the mating season, defeated by Tamim, their male rival. One ibex was poached and 4 fell to native predators. Nonetheless, three females managed to breed within the wild, which is a marker of the undertaking’s success, in keeping with Dr. Judas.
At daybreak, because the solar rays touched the jagged rocks, Ahmed tracked an ibex herd by lifting up his radio antennae and tuning in to the waves of static and beeps on the receiver. An grownup feminine appeared on the horizon with a youthful ibex subsequent to her. Ahmed picked up his binoculars. “That is Rose,” he stated, pointing to a doe with a child. His gaze grew to become involved, as he noticed a troop of baboons edging alarmingly near the ibex on a hill throughout the escarpment.
Rose and her child function a logo of hope for the restoration of the species. {Photograph} by Rena Effendi
In a swift and decisive motion, the baboons barked and leapt in direction of the ibex. Rose darted away, her child scampering behind, however the troop swiftly splintered into smaller teams, chasing the child, and circling to isolate him. Ahmed put down his radio and ran at inhuman velocity in direction of the baboons, shrieking at them and forcing them to scatter. The child managed to flee unhurt and was later reunited together with his mom.
“Rose and I went by loads collectively,” stated Ahmed. He defined that Rose was the primary doe to offer delivery within the wild. A number of weeks earlier than supply, she strayed from the herd. Ahmed tracked her for days ensuring she was secure. On the day of supply, he sat together with her for hours defending her from predators.
Because the noon solar whitewashed the terraces of the escarpment, Rose and her child discovered a secure place to huddle and dozed off. Rose’s collar now not offers out indicators, however Ahmed persists with visible monitoring. “I seek for her day-after-day till I discover her and ensure she is secure.” He has memorized all of Rose’s favourite spots on the escarpment and the perfect occasions to trace her, primarily at daybreak.
Rose and her child curl up and revel in an epic view. As they relaxation, the work of conservationists within the Pink Rock area continues. {Photograph} by Rena Effendi
Ahmed advised me that his dream is to see excessive numbers of animals roaming the cliffs of Pink Rock—a dream shared by Dr. Jacky Judas and different conservationists within the space. “There’s concord between me and the ibex, but it surely’s of their nature to be afraid of people. I really feel very unhappy when one thing occurs to them,” stated Ahmed.
His dedication to the ibex is a testomony to the facility of human reference to nature. His unwavering dedication to their safety and well-being is just not solely inspiring, but additionally essential for the success of the rewilding undertaking. Because the solar dips beneath the horizon, casting lengthy shadows throughout the escarpment, Ahmed stands tall, a guardian of those magnificent creatures. His story is a beacon of hope, demonstrating that with ardour, perseverance, and a deep-rooted connection to the land, it’s potential to revive stability to the pure world.
