Covering an area the size of China, comprising unique and extreme environments, and specially adapted wildlife, the Sahara is a truly amazing biome. Unfortunately, the world’s largest desert has never received the conservation investment it deserves. It is considered “empty”, but in fact, it’s not, according to John Watkin CEO of SaharaConservation who has some inspiring words to say about that: “To adapt to the temperature extremes many animals are nocturnal. You need to observe them at night.” That will surely change your mind about the emptiness of the Sahara. 

Sahara Conservation Fund

Even though it is an important goal to create awareness about the beauty and vulnerability of the Sahara, practical conservation measurements are prioritised to save the many species on the brink of extinction. John takes us with him to the world of the Sahara and the Sahelian grasslands – the shore of grass around the sea of the Sahara desert. After living in thirteen countries and visiting over one hundred, following his heart all the way through that journey, he now works in Chad, Niger, and Morocco to help conserve an extremely special ecosystem. 

Before John took over the CEO role in 2019, SaharaConservation had been implementing projects since 2004 aimed at conserving Endangered and Critically Endangered desert species. Species such as the iconic addax, stunning dama gazelle and North African ostrich have been priority species for conservation action. However, in an ecosystem where an unpredictable climate prevails and the sparsity of natural resources is a problem to both humans and animals, wildlife-only areas are difficult to realise. A new approach is needed, but let’s look at SaharaConservation’s current conservation projects first. 

The animals of the Sahara

Besides the addax and North African ostrich, several other species have received conservation attention from SaharaConservation. One of them is the majestic scimitar-horned oryx. It has been one of the most successful rewilding projects so far. The scimitar-horned oryx was declared by IUCN as Extinct in the wild in 2000. In collaboration with several zoos and private collections, a breeding population was established at the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi Deleika Conservation Breeding Centre in Abu Dhabi. Since 2016, 261 animals have been reintroduced into the wild, raising the minimum of 450-500 individuals in six years! 

Vultures should not be forgotten in this list. They are the most threatened group of birds in the world at this moment and yet they receive negative attention. If you think of vultures, you’ll know that they feed on carcasses – providing a vital cleaning role. Columns of vultures spiralling over a carcass can reveal the location of poachers. As a result, poachers poison carcasses to kill the vultures. Monitoring the populations and adding conservation actions accordingly is therefore a high priority. 

The dama gazelle is another species that is worthy of mention. With possibly only 100 remaining in the wild, they are Critically Endangered, on the precipice of extinction, and desperately in need of strong conservation efforts. In January 2020, SaharaConservation captured some individuals from a genetically vital population in the Manga region in the west of Chad. These individuals were transported to the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve and held with a male dama gazelle from the reserve to establish an in-situ breeding center to keep the population’s gene pool safe and reinforce the population of dama gazelles in the reserve. 

Defining success

Defining success is something that should be discussed as well because it is easier said than done. First of all, SaharaConservation aims for a healthy environment to sustain viable populations of reintroduced animals. This is achieved through a process called a “population viability analysis” that is repeated over time to determine what would be a healthy population capable of withstanding a severe drought, outbreak of a disease, or a year of extreme precipitation. 

The acid test of success would be the IUCN Red List authority changing the conservation status from Extinct in the Wild to a lesser category of threat. 

Threats they face

One of the greatest threats for all desert species comes from wildfires. In Niger and Chad, the rainy season lasts from May to September. After these months, there is no rain at all. Nothing. In those five months of rain, many species of annual grasses grow from seeds to full bloom. After the rain stops in September, all these grasses dry out. 

There are a couple of ways in which dried grass fields can catch fire. These grasslands are shared between wildlife and the pastoralists. Sometimes when pastoralists leave an area, they set fires believing that this will improve the pasture the following year. Another cause for wildfires comes from the vehicles driving through the reserve. Their hot exhaust pipes can start a fire unintentionally. Other times, it’s simply a lightning strike that starts the wildfire. In all cases it is extremely damaging, as this removes the grazing for all. 

A local’s perspective on wildlife

Even though these examples show that people do not like wildlife, there is actually a lot of respect for the animals from the local people, and there is relatively little poaching. To sustain this, the team of SaharaConservation works hard to involve the five provinces around the reserve in decision-making. As there is little surface water in the reserve, the pastoralists need to be near a hand-dug well or pumping station to access water. During those visiting moments, SaharaConservation makes contact with the pastoral communities and seeks their input. 

Many of the local people are very proud to see these desert species returning to the wild. Folklore exists concerning these animals, and people are proud of SaharaConservation’s achievements and the reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx and addax. 

Future plans

Species conservation will always be one of SaharaConservation’s priorities. However, the organization’s new 2025 strategic plan seeks to make the organization a “Champion for the Sahara” and shift to a “landscape conservation” approach to protect the desert’s important biodiversity. With the thin line between wildlife conservation and human-wildlife interactions, a human-based approach is just as important. 

This landscape focus is important because SaharaConservation is working in reserves – where pastoralists and local communities have access and user rights –  instead of strictly protected national parks. Besides simply reintroducing threatened species, the landscapes in which they live have to be safeguarded as well. Therefore, a management plan for the reserve has been developed in collaboration with the local population, administration and government authorities to protect the key areas in the reserve, respecting the stakeholders’ rights. 

Running the organization

As an organization, SaharaConservation is on the cusp. It is too big to be small and too small to be big. Sustainable funding is therefore the biggest issue with continuing their conservation work. In order to carry out to the requirements donors ask from them, the teams in both Chad and Niger have to be continuously reinforced. It’s about finding the right balance, but that is easier said than done. 

Besides that, the most difficult part with funds is the fact that they often can only be used for the projects themselves, not the core costs of running a conservation organization. Therefore, SaharaConservation’s goal is to increase fundraising, so that they have enough money to sustain their projects in the future. 

You can make an impact too

Even though you might have never been in the Sahara or the Sahelian grasslands before, you can help SaharaConservation by donating via their website. Another way of creating more momentum is by becoming an ambassador. Explain what you learned about the Sahara – either through this article or through the website – to your friends or family. Or share it online and let people know that there is still hope for the Sahara. 

These words from John will say it all: 

“We are all tied to the Sahara. We know when the Sirocco blows in, and the snow and the cars are covered in orange dust from the desert. But also when great winds pick up phosphate-rich dust from the old lake Chad basin that is deposited on the Amazon, fertilising the Amazon. There are all these amazing links that show that we are all tied to the Sahara, one way or another. It’s full of special wildlife and special people. There are many things to discover and all of that enriches us.”

If the Sahara and Sahelian grasslands have caught your attention, that’s great! There is much more to discover online. Go check it out now! 

Website: www.saharaconservation.org 

Instagram: @saharaconservation