Riyadh: The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority has achieved positive results in enhancing red-necked ostrich breeding, with an increase in the number of chicks at Rawdat Khuraim under a specialized program to support reproduction and strengthen the species' presence in suitable natural habitats within the reserve.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the program builds on the authority's ongoing efforts to conserve native wildlife and enhance its presence and reproduction in its natural habitats within the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve. The ostrich is one of the species historically associated with the Arabian Peninsula and the Al-Dahna Desert in Najd, and strengthening its population contributes to environmental balance and the sustainability of natural ecosystems.
The initiative is based on two complementary approaches to improve breeding success. The first involves monitoring natural incubation in nests, while the second relies on assisted incubation by transferring selected eggs to dedicated hatcheries and incubators, where they are monitored under precise technical and veterinary procedures to improve chick survival and development during their early stages.
The authority's wildlife team aims to increase the assisted breeding rate of red-necked ostriches to more than 30%, while gradually preparing the chicks for integration into their natural environment to enhance their ability to adapt to their native habitats once they are fully ready.