1

A. Interim Report Form For Research Projects Funded through the

National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (NSTIP)

1. PROJECT INFORMATION

Project Code 11-ENV1918-02

Project Title Living on the edge: unravelling how Arabian

Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) survive in the extreme

deserts of the Empty Quarter (Rub Al-Khali) and

Mahazat as-Sayd protected area, Saudi Arabia.

Principal Investigator Dr. Abdulaziz N. Alagaili

Institution King Saud University

Strategic Technology Area Environment

Project Period (Starting Month/Year –

Ending Month/Year)

Nov. 2013

Nov. 2015

Reporting Period (Starting

Month/Year – Ending Month/Year)

Nov. 2013

Dec. 2014

Project Budget (SR) SR 1,990,200

Project Summary (max. 300 words)

The Arabian Oryx is an iconic species of the deserts of the Middle East and is one of the

success stories for conservation biology, being brought back from the brink of extinction.

Despite the prominence of this animal from a conservation aspect we know relatively little about

the survival strategies practiced in the wild which includes the inhospitable Empty Quarter (EQ).

We have used state of the art research technologies – the use of satellite collars (global

positioning system) and associated thermal body temperature loggers that relay to the collar to

monitor the movement and body temperature patterns of two populations of Arabian oryx in

the extreme challenging environment of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid (UBM) within the EQ and the

Mahazat as-Sayd (MS), a fenced protected area. The Arabian oryx has been kept in the

protected area for more than twenty years and as a consequence, the population being

monitored in MS will be used as a control against which to measure a number of variables that

we will also measure in the population in the EQ.

The Global Positioning System equipment has been used to investigate movement

patterns in the two localities so that we can investigate whether the population in the harsher

region (EQ) is more nomadic compared to the population in the less harsh region (MS).

Furthermore, we are currently investigating the daily energy expenditure (DDE) of the Arabian

oryx to ascertain what the food, water and energy requirements of these animals are and

whether there are differences in metabolic requirements between seasons (summer and winter).

For this latter work we are using the doubly labelled water technique. Finally, we are using

actiwatches to monitor if there are seasonal changes in the sleep patterns of the Arabian oryx.

The diversity of specialist scientists from both within Saudi Arabia and from other parts of the

world will ensure shared knowledge transfer that is essential to the success of the study.

At the end of February we will have collected an entire calendar year on individual animal

movement, body temperature data patterns as well as energy budgets.

In year 2 (2015), we plan to continue the winter season for the doubly labelled water, analyze

the collected data, and write up three primary research papers on sleep, energetics and Arabian

oryx home range and movement patterns, as well as a compound paper comparing the

movement patterns and physiological variables in the two localities.

2

2. PROJECT PROGRESS

Describe the objectives, phases, and tasks outlined in the original proposal and indicate

the status of each task. This information can be inserted from Form RE-D1-3 of the

original proposal, as long as the information contained therein was comprehensive.

Otherwise, pertinent information from the original proposal can be entered in the table

below (limit table to one page).

Objectives Phases Tasks

Status (Completed,

Ongoing, Planned,

Modified *,

Discontinued*)

Percentage

of

achievement

Movement of Arabian Oryx

in the Mahazat as-Sayd and

Uruq Bani Ma’arid protected

areas of the Arabian

Peninsula over a one year

period to investigate if

Arabian Oryx possess

distinct home ranges or

whether they are nomadic.

One,

Two,

Three,

Four

Deployment of

the collars,

downloading and

processing data

for analysis,

analysis

Ongoing

70%

Obtaining hourly body

temperature (Tb)

measurements using

implanted temperature

transmitters that will be

placed in the abdominal

cavity (one year).

One,

Two,

Three,

Four

Implant of body

temperature

transmitters,

downloading and

processing data

for analysis,

analysis

Ongoing

70%

Determining daily energy

expenditure DEE and water

turnover WTO of Oryx

during both summer and

winter in the protected area

of Mahazat as-Sayd.

Two,

Three,

Four

Injections with

doubly labelled

water

(summer/winter),

lab analysis

Ongoing

50%

Investigating the daily

activity patterns of Oryx

using Actiwatch activity

event monitors to construct a

daily pattern of activity in

relation to movement and

body temperature exhibited

in the Mahazat as-Sayd.

One,

Three,

Four

Implant of

Actiwatch,

downloading and

processing data

for analysis,

analysis

Ongoing

80%

(*) Give details below if modified or discontinued.

3

Twenty Arabian oryx were fitted with iridium satellite collars and abdomen body

temperature sensors during February 2014. In March 2014, animals were released in Mahazat

as-Sayd (10 animals) and Uruq Bani Ma’arid (UBM) protected areas (10 animals). Within a

month of the release two Arabian oryx were killed by hunters in the UBM, an incident that

confirmed illegal poaching of oryx in that unfenced protected area that has happened over the

past 20 years. As a consequence, the Saudi Wildlife Authority increased their activities to keep

the animals within the core area of UBM, which in turn affected the free roaming of these

animals. The use of these collars allowed us to bring back those animals leaving the protected

area to nearby towns (an individual moved over 70 km within few hours). We also were

pleased to be able to observe other un-collared Arabian oryx joining the collared ones. Our

team highly recommends the use of a few satellite collars during every future release event

taking place within UBM.

Body temperatures have been recorded every ten minutes for close on one year now. At

the beginning of March we should have a full calendar year for at least 6 animals from the MS

and 8 for the UBM. These body temperature measurements and the associated ambient

temperatures recorded from the collar should enable us to determine the extremes of ambient

temperatures that the oryx experience and the concomitant body temperatures experienced by

the animals under such environmental conditions. A glance at the raw data from one Arabian

oryx occurring in the UBM reveals that during the summer months, the Arabian oryx

experiences a greater range of body temperature than those experienced in the winter. The

Arabian oryx thus employs behavioural heterothermy by potentially heating up in the day and

unloading heat during the relatively cooler evenings, in much the same way as the camel. We

shall, in March, analyze the body temperature profiles of the two populations in line with the

ambient temperatures experienced in the two areas. A glance at Figure 1 reveals that during

winter the body temperature extremes are less than those recorded for the summer period.

Unfortunately, we experienced a 40% failure rate in the deployment of the body temperature

thermistors shortly after the release of the Arabian oryx into the two study areas. Although

40% of loggers failed, the data are still good enough to determine the range of core body

temperatures experienced by oryx throughout the year.

We have been fortunate to be able to track 18 Arabian oryx (10 at MS, 8 at EQ) for a

period of close on a calendar year at two areas that have historically supported this animal (Fig.

2, 3,4,5). We plan to investigate sex differences in movement patterns as well as the home

range of each individual at the UBM and MS. We plan to investigate seasonal changes in

movement of the two populations with a view to assessing if the Arabian oryx in the harsher

habitat (UBM) exhibit a different pattern of movement to those in the less arid habitat (MS).

We have been fortunate to be able to track 18 Arabian oryx for a period of close on a calendar

year at two areas that have historically supported this animal (Fig. 2, 3,4,5). We plan to

investigate sex differences in movement patterns as well as the home range of each individual

at the UBM and MS. We plan to investigate seasonal changes in movement of the two

populations with a view to assessing if the Arabian oryx in the harsher habitat (UBM) exhibit a

different pattern of movement to those in the less arid habitat (MS). We plan to analyze these

pattern movements in April, May and June. We will attempt to assess home range of individual

Arabian oryx and the groups using minimum convex polygons and kernels.

A total of ten Arabian oryx, five in January and five in June were used for investigating the

activity patterns and sleep at MS. Following anaesthesia, two actiwatches were placed into

subcutaneous pockets (one on the neck and one on the hindleg) of each Arabian oryx. The

Arabian oryx were then released into a 2 x 2 km pen, where there was no provisioning of food,

but the Arabian oryx were allowed access to water. Following 3 months of free ranging, the

4

Fig. 1: Body temperatures record for a female Arabian oryx at MS (10 months).

Fig. 2: Movement of a female Arabian oryx at MS (10 months).

Fig. 3: Movement of a male Arabian oryx at MS (10 months).

5

Fig. 4: Movement of a female Arabian oryx at UBM (10 months).

Fig. 5: Movement of a male Arabian oryx at UBM (10 months).

animals were immobilized and the implants removed. During the winter, the average daily

inactivity or sleep was 4.87 hours. The average daily onset of the major sleep bout occurred at

3:16 am, with this bout having an average length of 124 minutes. Thus, during winter, the

Arabian oryx displayed a diurnal activity pattern, with the vast majority (93%) of inactivity or

sleep, occurring during the night. During summer the average daily inactivity or sleep was 6.03

hours. The average daily onset of the major sleep bout occurred at 12:48 pm with an average

length of 119 minutes. Thus, when compared to winter, the summer daily activity and sleep

6

pattern of the Arabian oryx changed dramatically, becoming a crepuscular activity pattern,

having an extra hour of sleep, with 65% of sleep occurring in the daylight period (Fig. 6). This

seasonal change in the daily sleep pattern is a novel finding, not recorded in any other animal.

While this portion of the study is near complete (data analysis ongoing), the results have led us

to continue the sleep work by recording physiological sleep with implanted electrodes in 6

Arabian oryx (3 in winter, 3 in summer) to definitively determine when the Arabian oryx sleep

in the different seasons. It appears that this change in sleep patterns would allow the Arabian

oryx to overcome the problems of heat overload, and, as body temperature drops during sleep,

providing them with a novel way to thermoregulate in the summer.

Fig. 6: Average activity patterns and sleep of Arabian oryx

To determine daily energy expenditure DEE and water turnover WTO in Arabian oryx

during both summer and winter in the protected area of Mahazat as-Syad (MS). We decided to

7

inject a total of 20 Arabian oryx with doubly labelled water. We selected the MS to do the

work in because it is possible to collect the samples from the animals at this locality. In the

UBM the constantly shifting sands makes this impossible. We hypothesized that the Arabian

oryx will expend reduced energy, but will show a significantly higher water turnover during

the summer compared to winter. These measurements will be related to the energy and

foraging needs of wild Arabian oryx in order to determine how they are able to survive in

extremely arid environments. To date we have injected 10 Arabian oryx with doubly labelled

water (DLW) during August 2014 (summer) and are due to inject another 10 animals in

February 2015 (winter).

Prior to conducting the research we undertook a pilot study in a captive Arabian oryx at

the King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre in order to determine the optimal dose of DLW, the

equilibration time of isotope in the body of the animal, and also the elimination rate of the

isotope. These aspects are necessary in order to use the DLW technique effectively. For this

purpose, 10.0 ml of deuterated water (99.9% enriched 2H water) was injected IV into a captive

female Arabian oryx. A series of blood samples were collected at various time intervals

afterwards in order to determine both the isotope equilibration rate - “the time taken for isotope

to mix up within the body of the animal” - and the isotope elimination rates - “the time taken

for isotope to be eliminated from the body of the animal, both short and long term” - (Fig.7,8).

We plan to do undertake the winter component of the research in February, 2015 having

already accomplished the summer component in August, 2014. The relative amounts of

deuterium and heavy oxygen will be determined by isotopic ratio mass spectrometry and the

necessary calculations undertaken to assess field metabolic rate and water flux, by examining

the differential elimination rates of the two isotopes

Fig. 7: Isotope equilibration rate, short-term scale, to determine equilibration rates post dose

and optimum times for initial sample

KKWRC Blood Deuterium

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

19/04 00:00

20/04 00:00

21/04 00:00

22/04 00:00

23/04 00:00

De

ut

PP

Ms

8

Fig. 8: Isotope elimination rate, long-term scale, to determine elimination rates and optimal

times for final sampling post dose

In conclusion, we are extremely happy with the progress of the research and we feet that

all the objectives outlined in the original submission are being attained. The research has

required a great deal of coordinated field research by a number of individuals. We are also

extremely indebted to the Saudi Wildlife Authority for their continual support of the project in

the form of manpower and logistics and most importantly, the donation of oryx.

KKRRC Blood Deuterium

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

16/04/2014 00:00

21/04/2014 00:00

26/04/2014 00:00

01/05/2014 00:00

06/05/2014 00:00

11/05/2014 00:00

16/05/2014 00:00

De

ut

PP

Ms

9

3. PERSONNEL INVOLVEMENT

Provide details addressing the contributions of each person in accomplishing the project

tasks/objectives during the reporting period. Include personnel involved that are not

supported by NSTIP award.

Team Members Name Contribution

Investigator Dr. Abdulaziz Alagaili Directing the project in all its aspects.

Co-investigator/s 1)Prof. N. Bennett, 2)Prof. P. Manger,

3)Prof. J. Speakman,

4)Dr. D. Scantlebury,

5)Dr. O. Mohammed.

1) Physiological analysis and

coordinating with PI and other team

members. 2) Actiwatch analysis.

3,4) Doubly labelled water field

work and analysis. 5) Field work

assistance and data collection.

Consultant/s None

Student/s (specify

undergraduate, M.S. or

Ph.D.)

Due to the delay in

providing funds, a

graduate student could

not be identified.

Research Staff (e.g.,

Postdoctoral Associate,

Technician, Manager)

Mr. Abdulrahman

Alohali

Data management

Administrative Staff None

Others (provide title and

role)

Workers Ground work, moving equipment,

capturing animals, field work

assistance.

Describe any changes in personnel and/or their roles from the original proposal. Please

also include individuals not included in your original proposal that provided significant

contribution to the project to date. (max. 150 words)

No changes in the project personnel except the involvement of Dr. Mads Bertelsen, a veterinary

expert from Copenhagen Zoo who became the project vet. Dr. Bertelsen undertook the

anaesthetic work and the implanting of the abdominal sensors. He has made several trips to Saudi

Arabia to ensure the welfare of the animals, working on over 40 animals during the course of the

1st year. Thankfully, none of the animals died during or post the surgery. Two Arabian oryx died

a month post-surgery due to old age.

10

4. RESEARCH OUTPUTS

Include information in the following categories that directly relates to your NSTIP-

funded project. Include details, status (e.g., accepted, published, submitted, under

preparation), and dates for each category that applies to your project.

OUTPUTS:

Patents: (List details on a separate sheet) Quantity Status Date

Patent applications NA

Patent registrations NA

Licenses NA

Other research commercialization

activities

NA

Publications: (List on a separate sheet, the

details of the publication, e.g., title, journal,

impact factor with source such as Thomson

Reuters ISI)

Quantity

Status

Date

Refereed publications 4 ongoing 2015/16

Non-refereed publications such as journal

articles, reviews, conference papers, books

and book chapters

Presentations Quantity Status Date

State the quantity and list & specify on a separate

sheet whether they were conference talks,

seminars, lectures, invited talks, etc., and whether

they were institutional, regional, national or

international.

None up

this point.

Technical Outputs Quantity Status Date

List below any technical outputs such as CDs,

software programs, databases, algorithms, and

measurement instruments.

NA

Service to the Research Community Quantity Status Date

List any membership on national and

international science committees, advisory

boards, journal editorial boards, conference

organizing committees, etc.

NA

11

Impact on Policy Quantity Status Date

List any contributions to

development of research or clinical

guidelines, review protocols,

indicators, membership on

government advisory committees,

commissioned governmental

agencies, meetings with policy

makers, etc.

1 Regulations to protect oryx

against poaching are under

consideration at Saudi

Wildlife Authority. The

project PI has been assigned

by the president of SWA to

lead a team to prepare a

strategic plan for future

release/monitoring of

Arabian oryx.

2015/16

Awards and Honors Quantity Status Date

List any major awards, indicating

their scale—regional, national,

international—and honors such as

academic chairs and endowed

positions.

NA

Other Quantity Status Date

List any other forms of research

dissemination that is intended for

non-scientific audiences (such as

radio talks, newspaper articles,

television appearances).

2

* Local TV and

newspaper interviews

before/after the release of

Arabian oryx at the

Empty Quarter.

*SWA announced this

project during

international conventions.

2014

12

`

5. BROADER IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT Include information in the following categories that directly relates to your NSTIP-

funded project. Include details and dates for each category that applies to your project.

Teaching and Training

Describe courses, classes, and workshops that were developed, and your role in the

activity (for example, teacher, organizer, developer). - The project provided an opportunity to train Saudi Wildlife Authority personnel (researchers

and rangers) on field techniques (capturing, anaesthesia process, monitoring anesthetized

animals, release techniques, on ground monitoring after release, and online monitoring of

animals through satellite.

- A workshop regarding the project implemented techniques and outcome will be held at King

Saud University. KSU president, SWA president, and KACST vice president will be invited

for part of this workshop where the results will be presented. All three individuals have

expressed a great interest in finding out about this project results, which shows a great interest

in decision makers to such projects in this field.

Infrastructure

If you purchased equipment, describe how it adds to the capability of the institution

and training of researchers outside the project. Indicate whether this equipment is

available elsewhere in the institution and why its purchase was necessary for this

project. The nature of this project is based on field work, thus most purchased equipment was

attached/implanted in the studied animals, which were then released to the wild. It would be a

challenging task to recover this equipment, especially the collars, but we will try to recover

these collars “if possible” from animals released in MS and refurbish them to be used in future

release activities. The project fund enabled us to secure basic equipment needed at most

laboratories such as sensitive electronic scale, animal scales, and dissection tools amongst

other items of small equipment.

Collaborations

Describe the institution, disciplinary focus, research expertise, and nature of any new

or unforeseen partnerships that were developed during the project. Our research group at King Saud University focuses on biological and ecological studies on

mammalian species that occur in Saudi Arabia. The current project is not only a continuation

of a strong collaboration with colleagues from South Africa, but also has provided us the

opportunity to expand our network to be working closely with other colleagues from United

Kingdom and Denmark. Beside the fruitful data coming out of this project, the team has

decided to proceed with future work aiming to study three other endangered Artiodactyl

species found in Saudi Arabia (Arabian and sand gazelles, and the Nubian Ibex).

Funding

Describe how this research has led to additional funding or prospects for future

funding awards and contracts for project investigators, students and staff. Please list

the applications, dates, reference numbers, and amount awarded, if applicable.

None.

13

Others

Describe the benefits of your research to society that are not covered by the categories

above. The Arabian oryx is an iconic species that captures the attention of people across the world,

and specifically those living in the Arabian Peninsula. The establishment of SWA was a result

of international efforts to save this species from extinction. The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia

gave the Arabian oryx special care and attention by protecting them not only in protected areas

and breeding centers but also on their private farms. This project, and hopefully future research

plans, will provide more insights about the life history, behavior and physiology of the Arabian

oryx that should be well received by the scientific and conservation communities across the

world. Many colleagues who have learned about this ongoing project have asked to be

informed about the preliminary results. The same attention and excitement was observed

within the country and many decision makers (i.e. ministers and deputy ministers, government

offices directors) already have asked for a report after the end of this project. We are really

proud of this project and happy to see the support from colleagues and the government of

Saudi Arabia.

6. BUDGET

Category First

year

Second year

Amount

Awarded

Amount

Expended

Amount

Awarded

Amount

Expended

Principal Investigator 72,000 0 72,000 0

Co-Investigator/s 180,000 0 180,000 0

Consultant/s NA

Student/s (specify

undergraduate, M.S., Ph.D.)

NA

Research Staff (specify

Postdoctoral Associate,

Technician, Manager)

20,000 20,000 20,000 0

Administrative Staff NA NA NA NA

Major equipment (list

items >100,000 SR below)

343,798 343,798 30,000 0

Other Equipment (list

items >10,000 SR below)

178,202 178,202 78,197 0

Materials & Supplies 304,000 304,000 78,301 0

Travel (e.g., training,

conference, field trips)

100,000 100,000 240,000 0

Dissemination (e.g.,

publications, patents,

workshops, public outreach)

0 0 50,000 0

14

Other (specify any >1,000

SR)

0 0 10,000 0

Total 1,198,000 946,000 758,498 0

Please list equipment (>10,000 SR) purchased. In addition, provide brief descriptions of

travel, dissemination, and other expenditures during the reporting period. If funding

sources other than NSTIP have supported any aspect of the research program, please

describe the funding amount and nature of support (financial, in-kind, facilities, etc.)

Also, comment on any existing core or shared research facilities that you have used for

the project to date. If category expenditures differ from budgeted amounts by more than

10%, please comment. (max. 150 words). - Satellite Collars + body temp loggers.

- Travel category covered field work in the two protected areas. A training and conference

attendance will follow up in the 2nd year.

7. Describe any other concerns and comments related to the interim progress of the

research project that were not covered in the sections above (max. 250 words). We have not been able to analyze in full the movement data or body temperature data currently

because the project will only terminate at the end of March. In order to look at and present

seasonal and sex related results we require the full calendar year of data to report accurately on

these parameters measured.

Similarly, we have not been able to report on the seasonal energy expenditure as winter

samples will only be collected in February.

The killing of two of our animals in the Empty Quarter has reduced our data set, but this was

beyond our control. On a positive note, it has enabled us to report that releasing oryx into the

EQ could pose some risk to the stock being released.

Papers planned to be published out of this project:

1- Walk the walk: temporal and spatial patterns of movement in the Arabian Oryx. A

manuscript will firstly be submitted to Journal of Animal Ecology (IF 4.7).

2- Too hot to handle: the body temperature rhythms of Arabian oryx in the extreme desert of

the Empty Quarter. A manuscript will first be submitted to Biology Letters (IF 3.7)

3- From the cold of the night to the heat of the day: seasonal switching of sleep times in the

Arabian oryx. A manuscript will first be submitted to PLoS Biology (IF=11.771).

4- Water and energy in extreme environments: How to Arabian Oryx survive with no water,

extreme heat and little food? A manuscript will first be submitted to PLoS One (IF=3.73)

Thanks