The Wildlife Rehabilitation and Propagation Centre in the Wilayat of Barka in South Al Batinah Governorate is one of the important centres concerned with the conservation, preservation and propagation of wildlife in all its aspects in the Sultanate.
The centre, which was established in 2001, is located in the back area of Barka Public Park, where the area of the centre’s land is estimated at about 33,000 square metres, and it is supervised by the Environment Department in South Al Batinah Governorate. The Wildlife Rehabilitation and Propagation Centre seeks to preserve wildlife and birds from different parts of the Sultanate, whether by government agencies or by citizens who have a major role in preserving them.
The centre also works to save, rehabilitate and multiply local wildlife species in their natural habitats and help them return to their original habitat or to be used in scientific or educational fields.
Talal al Khudairi, the administrative supervisor at the centre, said that the centre aims to provide medical care for infected animals and birds and rehabilitate them to release them in their natural environments, in addition to focusing on their reproduction and care, while providing guidance and awareness for citizens who raise wildlife.
“The centre specialises in caring for and rehabilitating wild animals to return them to their natural habitats or use them for scientific or educational purposes. This is in addition to other responsibilities including the multiplication of local species of wild animals and the development of resettlement programmes in natural sites, as well as participating in conducting studies and preparing reports on the status of wildlife in the Sultanate with proposing plans and programmes related to the management and follow-up of wildlife and participating in their implementation.”
He added, “The centre also works to spread awareness in cooperation with the concerned authorities of the importance of preserving wildlife and exchanging experiences and research with regional and international counterpart centres and institutions specialised in the field of rehabilitation and propagation of wildlife.”
Talal said that the centre has succeeded in the breeding programmes of the Arabian deer, oryx, and mainly Reem gazelle, in addition to some birds of prey confiscated during illegal attempts to poach them adding that the target species in the centre is the Arabian deer. The centre began implementing its breeding programmes in 2005, by bringing in 16 Arab deer from the deer barn located in the Al Salil Natural Park Reserve in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate; for the purpose of propagating this type of wild animals and resettling them in their natural habitats.
He added that 60 Arabian Oryx were transferred in 2013 from the birth centre of the Royal Court Affairs to the breeding centre of the ministry to be resettled in their natural environments, while 5 Reem gazelles were transferred in 2013 from the maternity centre of the Royal Court Affairs to the Ministry’s breeding centre with the aim of resettling them in their natural habitats. The centre has also rehabilitated a number of species of birds of prey, such as the Egyptian eagle, the bald eagle, and hawks, including both migrating and endemic ones.
Those types of birds imported to the centre are found from the governorates of the Sultanate.
As these wild animals and birds receive the necessary treatment and immunisations at the Rehabilitation and Reproduction Centre, the number of births is increasing, especially during this year. Currently, there are 100 Arabian gazelles, 102 Arabian Oryx, in addition to 31 ibexes, as well as many wild birds.
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