Arrangements have been made by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) for the celebration this year of its 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, NCWCD is releasing captive-bred species to the wild, preparing a documentary and publishing a book on its achievements, and holding an international conference to exchange experiences in the field of wildlife conservation.
NCWCD Secretary-General Abdulaziz Abu Zinada yesterday released a group of Arabian oryx, bred at research centers, into the Mahzat As-Sayd protected wildlife reserve near the city of Taif. The program started in Taif in 1986, with the first release of birds and animals taking place in 1990. Since then, 250 wild oryx have been recorded living free on the reserve, and 13 nests of houbara bustards have been observed.