The Arabian oryx, sand gazelle and ostrich have long been missing from this challenging but beautiful landscape. Once a common sight, they graced the Rub’ al-Khali for thousands of years, but over the past century their numbers were decimated by hunters.
Saudi Aramco has turned back the clock. The completion of the first stage of the Shaybah Wildlife Sanctuary, inaugurated in December 2016, has given these three species a new lease of life.
The culmination of years of hard work and determination, the sanctuary represents our drive to protect ecologically sensitive areas and the biodiversity that inhabits them. Located adjacent to our mega-facilities in the area, the fenced sanctuary now protects dozens of native plant and animal species.