Established in 1975 by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Shaumari Wildlife Reserve was initially created as a breeding centre aiming to breed and reintroduce the globally threatened and locally extinct wildlife and specifically the Arabian Oryx Oryx leucoryx. This small, 22-square-kilometre reserve is a thriving protected environment for some of the rarest species of animals in the Middle East. Oryx, ostriches, Onagers and gazelles, The Oryx and Onagers can often be seen roaming freely in their large desert grassland enclosure, and gazelles can be observed in their own fenced areas.also more than 193 species of flora have been recorded at the reserve, the most common species being Achillea fragrantissima, Artemisia sieberi, Matricaria aurea, Haloxylon persicum, Anabasis articulata, Retama raetam and Peganum harmala.