Saudi Reserve Reports Rise in Red-Necked Ostrich Hatchlings

The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority has reported an increase in red-necked ostrich chicks through its specialised breeding programme at Rawdat Khuraim, marking the latest milestone in Saudi Arabia's efforts to restore the species across its protected areas.

According to the authority, the programme combines natural nesting with assisted incubation, transferring selected eggs to dedicated hatcheries where veterinary specialists monitor their development under controlled conditions to improve hatching success and chick survival. Wildlife teams aim to increase assisted breeding rates to more than 30% before gradually releasing the young birds into the reserve's natural habitats.

The authority said restoring red-necked ostrich populations supports the ecological balance of desert environments by contributing to seed dispersal and maintaining biodiversity.

The programme forms part of a broader national conservation strategy. In April, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve reported more than 90 wildlife births during the first quarter of 2026, including seven red-necked ostrich hatchlings alongside Arabian gazelles, Arabian oryx, Cape hares and rock hyraxes. In December 2025, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve reintroduced five critically endangered red-necked ostriches to establish a founder population, identifying the North African red-necked ostrich as the closest surviving relative of the extinct Arabian ostrich.

The NEOM Nature Reserve has also reintroduced the species, raising 27 chicks adapted to local desert conditions. Fewer than 1,000 red-necked ostriches are estimated to remain in the wild across Africa's Sahel region.