Wildlife Recovery Programme

The fringe-eared oryx is endemic to Kora, occurring south of the Tana River in Kenya and into northern Tanzania. The current population of fringe-eared oryx in Kora NP is estimated to be extremely low – with only single individuals rarely seen – with the potential that it could soon be or perhaps is locally functionally extinct at present.

The fringe-eared oryx (Oryx beisa ssp. callotis) has most recently been assessed for IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2018 and is listed as Vulnerable under criteria A2bd.

The population of fringe-eared oryx in Kenya declined steeply from 27,000 individuals in 1977-80 to approximately 5,000 in the mid-1990s (East 1999) and to an estimated 3,400 in 2011-13 (Ogutu et al. 2016). The total population in both Kenya and Tanzania was estimated to be only 4,000-6,000 individuals in 2018.

The recovery of the fringe-eared oryx in Kora NP will help to secure a breeding herd, safeguarding against loss of isolated populations in Tanzania and Kenya.

The Trust will work in close partnership with KWS on the planning and implementation of the programme.