1. Wildlife Without Borders:
Conserving the Sahelo-Saharan Antelopes of North Africa
Smithsonian has been involved with Saharan antelopes work for more than 10 years, and works closely with the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF). Dr. Steven Monfort, Associate Director for Conservation & Science at the Smithsonian National Zoo is the President of SCF.
My name is Pierre Comizzoli and I work with Steve on that project. I an here to give the talk on his behalf.

2. The Sahara - World’s biggest desert 3 million square miles
Bigger than Australia
11 times the size of Texas
- Bordered by the Sahel
- Shared by 14 countries
Less than 5” rainfall
Not a barren wasteland!
- Great habitat diversity
- Many threatened species

3. A Barren Wilderness? 3

4. Habitat Diversity Acacia trees Grasslands Steppes Sand seas
From North to South, grassland, steppes, acacia trees, sand seas
Steppes
Sand seas

5. Water and Mountains
Gueltas
Oasis, gueltas
Oasis

6. Threats to Wildlife Prolonged drought
Desertification and loss of pasture
Habitat encroachment
Over-hunting
Chronic lack of resources for conservation
Lack of awareness/interest in aridlands
Threats to the wildlife of the Sahara are numerous – both natural and man-made. Tourism vs Ecotourism

7. Going… Large species in big trouble
Large species are in big trouble
Large species in big trouble
Addax: critically endangered <300 in the wild
Dama gazelle: critically endangered <500 in the wild
Dorcas gazelle: locally extinct in many places 7

8. going… Other species too Ostrich: desert race virtually extinct
Cheetah: desert race extremely rare
Barbary Sheep: isolated and highly vulnerable 8

9. gone! Oryx is the largest mammal extinct in the past 30 years
Last photo of oryx in the wild taken in Niger in 1980
Last oryx late-80s or early 90s
Zoos and private collections are the last hope
Projects in Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco 9

10. First Action Plan by CMS
Conference of the Parties in 1998 (Djerba)
First CMS initiative focused on terrestrial mammals -- six antelopes
14 Sahelo-Saharan range states
At the Conference of the parties in 1998 (Djerba), first action plan on SS antelopes was developed at that time, partnerships with EU, FFEM, SCF

11. Sahara Conservation Fund
- 1998: Like-minded individuals who attended the Djerba Conference formed the Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group (SSIG)
- 2004: SCF is the formal structure (not for profit organization) based in Switzerland (John Newby, CEO; Steve Monfort, President)
SCF’s mission: To conserve wildlife and key habitats in partnership with stake-holders from all sectors of society
SSIG was born in 1998 and formalized into SCF (CEO is John Newby, Switzerland)
SSIG is a group of experts but SCF is the formal structure (not for profit organization).

12. First SCF-Sponsored Wildlife Surveys
Science-based approaches to conservation
- Assess current status-threats (wildlife, habitat quality, land-use)
Assist governments and agencies
Mobilize support for the CMS Action Plan
Identify solutions and actions
Coordinate with local players
First question was: what is going on in those areas, what is the status?
Megatransect (wildlife survey, habitat quality, land-use pattern) in Chad (2001) and Niger (2002)
2002
2001

13. SCF Database Since 2001: Situation is Critical!
SPECIES
IUCN RED DATA LIST (2006)
SCF COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS*
Scimitar-horned Oryx
Extinct in the wild
Last known animals in the 1990s (Chad, Niger)
Addax
Critically Endangered
Less than 300 in 1-2 populations (Niger, Chad)
Dama Gazelle
Less than 300 in 3-4 isolated populations (Niger, Chad, Mali)
Slender-horned Gazelle
Endangered
Limited to the sand seas of North Africa. Status unknown.
Cuvier’s Gazelle
Vulnerable
Limited to North African uplands. Status poorly known.
Dorcas Gazelle
Highly threatened throughout by uncontrolled hunting.
Cheetah
Saharan populations extremely rare and endangered.
Striped Hyena
Lower Risk
Sahelo-Saharan populations highly endangered by persecution.
Fennec
Data Deficient
Sahelo-Saharan populations appear satisfactory.
Pale Fox
Sahelian populations extremely vulnerable to poisoning.
Rüppell’s Fox
Research required to assess status.
Ostrich
Least Concern
Sahelo-Saharan populations virtually extinct in the wild.
Lappet-faced Vulture
Naturally sparse. Threatened by persecution.
Nubian Bustard
Near Threatened
Impact of intensive hunting unknown and needing research.
Sudan Bustard
Sahelian populations highly vulnerable from over-hunting.
Spurred Tortoise
Very few known healthy Sahelian populations.
SCF data suggest that situation is even worse (reliable and accurate science-based information)

14. When Data Compiled: Priority Countries
When taking into account the number of highly endangered species, 4 countries with highest priority.
Scale: 0 (least) to 3 (most)

15. Conference of the Parties in Agadir: What do stakeholders want?
2003
Conference of the Parties in Agadir:
What do stakeholders want?
Priorities:
Training—Capacity Building (e.g., husbandry training EAZA/AZA, ranger training etc.)
Ex situ captive breeding programs
Reintroductions
Sustainable hunting!
Field surveys and monitoring
Trans-boundary park formation
When SSIG (as a scientific unit) went back to the second conference of the parties, they ask the question:
Answers helped the SCF to shape his priorities

16. Obstacles to Cooperation
- Transboundary conflict
- Civil unrest – tribal conflict
Nationalism
- Chronic lack of funding and international support
Insufficient incentives for cooperation
General lack of interest in aridlands
- Insufficient management expertise
Conflict Chad/Sudan, Algeria who wants to do everything by herself, Lybia is closed.

17. Before TB parks SCF Priority Conservation Sites
Even before thinking of TB approach, SCF defined priority conservation sites (needs to become official protected areas)

18. Chad/Niger: Last Sites for Key Species
More specifically, priority within each site.
Niger and Chad are the ‘last hopes’

19. SCF Vision: Addax Without Borders
Obviously, TB is a long-term objective, but there is still a lot to do on a local standpoint

20. Evidence of Addax Crossing the Border
We now that animal are crossing the border, so it would make sense

21. Priority: Addax Project (Niger-Chad)
Saving the world’s last addax
Creating vast new protected areas
Applying science & research to management
Community-based action, management and custodianship
Therefore, the addax project is a priority

22. Termit – Tin Toumma Protected Area
Focal Area in Niger
Termit – Tin Toumma Protected Area
Best remaining refuge for Saharan wildlife
Addax, dama gazelle, cheetah, Barbary sheep
Establishment of protected area
Wildlife inventory and ecological monitoring
In Niger, the focal area is Termi – Tin Touma, SCF works with government to establish protected area.
Maurice Ascani
Francoise Claro
Desert cheetah
25-50% of the animals left on earth!

23. Termit/Tin Toumma Project
Overall 2-yr Budget ~$500,000
59%
41%
This is a good example of partnership. SCF really grateful to CMS (funds from FFEM)
An SCF – CMS Partnership

24. Role of Zoos & Private Collections
- Captive-breeding & reintroduction
- Science & research
Husbandry & veterinary care
Training & capacity building
- Awareness & education
Vital insurance policy
Without zoos and private collectors some species would clearly go extinct.
Gulf States have huge private collections that can be used for reinforce wild populations
*huge opportunity for “win-win” partnerships with private collections in Gulf States

25. SCF Reintroduction Projects
Partnership with CMS, North-American and European Zoos
Expensive & complex (meta-population management strategies)
Pilot projects with addax & scimitar-horned oryx ongoing in Tunisia and Morocco
SCF, working with many partners, including CMS and the North American and European Zoo communities,
Taining and direction/strategy in how to link populations – through meta-population management strategies – and creating corridors that can eventually be linked when fences are taken down (i.e., all reintroduced animals to date reside in fenced reserves), but one day that will change.

26. Foreign Hunting Parties
- SCF is not anti-hunting
Gazelles & bustards hardest hit
Sustainability is key
Legality and ethics
Corruption is rife
Lack of management
- Quotas & control needed
- Sustainable models possible
By government or military forces

27. Recent Activities
Algeria wildlife surveys 2006: cheetah (confirmed presence) and small gazelles
Mission to Chad 2006: only 9 addax, but Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve still holds what most abundant population of dorcas gazelles left in the wild
Aerial Survey in Mali 2005: 6,552 km² of the South Tamesna. only 3 dama gazelles spotted, along with several dozens of dorcas gazelles
Tunisia reintroduction
In terms of recent activties

28. Recent survey: Algeria (March 2007)
Distribution of slender-horned gazelles far East to West
Dorcas gazelles present everywhere (but number of individuals has decreased in 20 years)
Training in survey/monitoring techniques
ERG OCCIDENTAL
ERG ERRAOUI

29. Annual SSIG Meeting Conservation and Science Forum Information Sharing
Hannover Zoo, Germany -- May 31 – Jun
Conservation and science forum, and an opportunity for information sharing and collaboration.

30. Partnership is the Key!
THANK YOU CMS
…support for conservation is derived from stakeholders across all sectors of society

31. Getting Deserts on the Map!
Lots to do

32. Thanks for listening!