Nubian ibex  (Capra nubiana)

A combination of threats face the Nubian ibex, which vary in severity across the species' range. Competition with livestock and feral camels is thought to pose a threat in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as is competition with the expanding feral donkey (Equus asinus) population in Oman. The availability and distribution of waterholes in Egypt, which fluctuate from year to year, are also likely to be a major influence on ibex populations. Water resources are also scarce and under competition in Israel, and contamination of these water sources is a major potential threat. Habitat loss and degradation provides considerable cause for concern. High levels of tourists are found at watering, feeding and birthing sites in Israel, and the extension of roads, livestock encroachment and other development pressures are radically degrading habitat in Saudi Arabia, in and around the ibex's remaining refuges. The small size and fragmentation of remaining ibex populations in much of their range is worrying, since limited opportunities for dispersal may lead to reduced genetic diversity and decreased chances of survival. Hunting is an additional threat to the species across its range, in greater and lesser degrees. In Yemen, automatic weapons are owned by many people throughout the country, where hunting probably poses the greatest threat to the ibex (1).

A general ban on hunting ibex was created in Saudi Arabia in 1979, but poaching remains difficult to control, especially in remote areas. The species is more effectively protected from hunting in Israel (1). The Nubian ibex appears in a number of protected areas, including two Saudi Arabian reserves created by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) primarily for the protection of this species. These are At-Tubayq and Hawtat Bani Tamim, which are patrolled by a permanent staff of rangers (6). The Dana Nature Reserve and Mujib Reserve in Jordan also hold Nubian ibex populations. Additionally, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) established a captive-breeding centre in the Mujib Reserve in 1989, where the initial group of 20 ibex has multiplied to over 100 animals. Over 30 of these animals have now been successfully returned to the wild (7). With the species' range including so many countries it is difficult to coordinate the same policies and conservation efforts throughout. However, it is essential that there is a cooperative effort between countries to maintain contiguous tracts of habitat and protect this magnificent ibex, if further local extinctions are to be prevented.