A Desert Dream: Shabeeb Al-Ajmi creates lush gazelle and oryx reserve in Kuwait
From barren desert to gazelle haven, Kuwaiti activist builds first private wildlife reserve; ‘Shepherd of Gazelles’ turns Umm Qadeer desert into thriving natural sanctuary
- Kuwait holds a special place in efforts to protect the species, recalling the legacy of the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, who played an early role in supporting oryx conservation internationally
- Ready to release gazelles and oryx under his care into official reserves under the Environment Public Authority to support ecotourism
- In the middle of the desert, a quiet but powerful message is taking root — that dedication, patience, and love for nature can bring life back to even the driest land.
Around 50 kilometers southwest of Kuwait City, in the heart of the Umm Qadeer desert, environmental activist Shabeeb Mubarak Al-Ajmi has carved out a remarkable green sanctuary from the barren landscape — creating what is believed to be the country’s first private gazelle reserve.
What was once an empty stretch of desert has been transformed into a breathtaking natural haven where gazelles roam freely and Arabian oryx move gracefully across a growing blanket of vegetation. Over the past four years, Al-Ajmi has dedicated himself to collecting, cultivating, and preserving a diverse range of plants to build a sustainable environment around the animals, turning the site into a living natural tableau.
Welcoming visitors, Al-Ajmi proudly points to the expanding vegetation cover. “My surprise this time is this plant cover,” he said, noting that its features will become even more visible with the arrival of spring. His bond with the animals is deeply personal. “I treat the gazelles like a father treats his children,” he added.
Despite his strong attachment to the dozens of gazelles and oryx under his care, Al-Ajmi says he is ready to release them into official reserves under the Environment Public Authority to support ecotourism. He explained that the animals feed on clover and fodder, and that births occur naturally every eight months without human intervention — a sign, he says, of a healthy and balanced habitat, Al-Rai report.
The reserve now includes more than 27 plant species, about 14 of them native to Kuwait, while the rest were sourced from abroad. Al-Ajmi hopes a government body will adopt the project to serve Kuwait’s environmental goals and strengthen public awareness. The site has already attracted diplomatic visitors, who, he says, are impressed by the richness of Kuwait’s desert nature.
Speaking about the Arabian oryx in particular, Al-Ajmi expressed pride in maintaining purebred animals. He noted that Kuwait holds a special place in efforts to protect the species, recalling the legacy of the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, who played an early role in supporting oryx conservation internationally.
Al-Ajmi emphasized that the project is not a solo effort. Through the officially registered volunteer group “Our Environment”, he and fellow activists aim to turn the reserve into an open scientific and educational platform. The vision is to welcome school and university students, researchers, and environmental enthusiasts through research programs, workshops, and awareness courses that help build a generation conscious of sustainability and environmental protection.
In the middle of the desert, a quiet but powerful message is taking root — that dedication, patience, and love for nature can bring life back to even the driest land.
