The area is totally fenced and protection from livestock grazing has allowed a spectacular recovery of native vegetation.
The reserve is now dominated by grasslands, which are a reminder of how most of the Arabian peninsula may have looked once.
Mahazat as-Sayd is one of the few places where the Arabian oryx has been reintroduced.
In addition the reem gazelle and red-necked ostrich have been reintroduced in the reserve.
It is likely that striped hyenas and cheetahs once also inhabited the area.