This tale is one of patience, strategic planning, and precise execution. Thirteen years ago, on August 23, the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD) successfully rescued a stray Arabian mountain gazelle that had been roaming for at least six days in an abandoned labor camp in Mohammed bin Zayed City.
Local residents alerted Khaleej Times about the gazelle, a protected species, which was thought to have escaped from a nearby villa. Although the elegant creature roamed freely, there were concerns it could be harmed by wild dogs or captured recklessly.
On a hot, humid Thursday morning, August 23, 2012, a 12-member EAD team embarked on their mission to capture the gazelle. According to Khaleej Times, they arrived with a detailed plan, equipped with long nets, lassos, and netguns, surrounding the gazelle’s resting area. Already jumpy from previous threats, the gazelle evaded initial capture attempts.
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A member of EAD’s Terrestrial Biodiversity Management team, armed with a tranquilizer shotgun, briefs the rescue team on the strategy.
The manual capture method, designed to be “less invasive and stressful,” involved netguns and lassos. After several attempts, they managed to guide the gazelle into a net trap, but the agile creature escaped just as they closed in.
Nonetheless, the rescuers, experienced and quick, persistently pursued the male gazelle. They were well-prepared and had the endurance to finally catch it with a lasso in under an hour.
The team handled the gazelle gently, aware of its cultural significance to the UAE, where “Abu Dhabi” translates to ‘father of gazelle.’
The EAD team sets up a net trap to capture the gazelle safely.
The rescuers avoided dart guns, believing them unsuitable for the agile gazelle that could run up to 50 km/h. Additionally, chemical immobilization posed a risk of hyperthermia, particularly in the peak summer heat.
Overheating was the main concern, along with potential injury to the gazelle, as explained to Khaleej Times.
The team securely places the gazelle into a transport box.
After capture, the gazelle was relocated to an EAD conservation and breeding facility, joining other Arabian mountain gazelles post-quarantine. No one claimed ownership of this endangered species.
The EAD team poses with the captured gazelle.
