In the past six months there have been two notable developments in the follow-up of Operation Oryx, whose history was summarised in Oryx in 1982 (Vol. XVI, pages 406–410). A first release was made in Jordan, in October 1983 and a second one in Oman in April 1984. The Royal Jordanian Conservation Society should be most warmly congratulated for having been able to release, with substantial help from both the World Wildlife Fund and the Oman Government, no fewer than 31 oryx into the Shaumari Reserve near Azraq, which although fenced extends to 22 sq km. This herd derives from four pairs originating from Operation Oryx, sent from San Diego Wild Animal Park in California in 1978, and three more animals presented by HH the Prince of Qatar. Their release into the extensive natural habitat at Shaumari by HM King Hussein crowns a notable effort and provides further justification of the foresight of the ffPS in undertaking Operation Oryx 22 years ago. It is unlikely that Arabian oryx can be released into the open desert in Jordan in the foreseeable future, since the available areas are too close both to populated areas in Jordan and to the Saudi Arabian frontier, which they could not be prevented from crossing and where they could not be safeguarded.

The plight of indigenous birds on oceanic archipelagoes often makes depressing reading, as the author points out in his forthcoming book, Naturalized Mammals of the World. Habitat destruction by domestic stock and predation by accidentally introduced rats and mice are the major causes. In Bermuda this discouraging trend has been reversed by the successful rehabilitation of two species within the space of a quarter of a century.

The author, who initiated a recent search that led to the rediscovery of the rare cane turtle in south-west India (see Oryx, July 1983), recently returned to the Anaimalai area. With the help of Kadar tribal people he found a group of lion-tailed macaques little outside their known range—a discovery that assumes significance when one considers that it is one of the world's most endangered primate species.

Many people are fascinated by cacti and the trade that has grown up to meet the demand from collectors has depleted many wild populations. Threatened cacti species receive legal protection in some countries, notably the US, but attempts to control international trade through CITES are frustrated by poor enforcement. The author works at the Conservation Unit at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which is the UK's Scientific Authority for plants under CITES.

Many mammal species have been exterminated in Bangladesh; many more are threatened. The author visited all the forested areas, where 80 per cent of the surviving mammals are to be found, for this survey. His report supplements and enforces the primate survey report of S.P. Gittins and A.W. Akonda in the February 1982 Oryx.

That otter numbers have declined in northern Europe is well known and the Vincent Wildlife Trust is attempting to discover how far this is also true in the southern part the otter's range. Healthy populations have been found in Portugal, Greece and northern Tunisia but declines have occurred in other Mediterranean countries. Here the authors describe the results of a survey in Morocco.

Réunion is probably the least well known of the islands of the Mascarene archipelago. The author, a veterinarian who spent two years working there, gives an account of its now much diminished wildlife and some of the problems facing the species that remain.

By 1975 the gharial Gavialis gangeticus was nearly extinct due to the combined effects of habitat alteration, hunting and fishing operations and it was made a priority species for the Government of India/FAO/UNDP Crocodile Breeding and Management Project initiated that year. Successful artificial incubation and release schemes in India and Nepal have generated optimism for its future in these two countries but the situation in Bangladesh is not so promising; in 1979 the gharial was believed extinct there. In 1983 the author visited a recently reported breeding site and reports on present conditions.