'Uruq Bani Ma'arid, Protected area and World Heritage Site at the western edge of Ar Rub' al-Khali, Saudi Arabia.

Uruq Bani Ma'arid is a protected reserve located at the western edge of the Ar Rub' al-Khali desert, encompassing limestone plateaus, sand dunes, and gravel plains. The landscape combines these different landforms to create varied habitats within the broader desert environment.

The region once served as a natural home for Arabian oryx before the species disappeared from the area. Reintroduction efforts began in the 1990s to restore these animals to their original habitat.

The name combines Arabic words: 'uruq for the parallel red sand ridges, Bani Ma'arid for the local group associated with the area. The reserve is divided into a core nature zone, a controlled-grazing zone and a hunting zone, so land use is regulated rather than uniform. Its plant life, with 106 recorded species, was designated an Important Plant Area.

Access to the reserve requires special permits, so planning ahead is necessary before traveling. Visitors should prepare well since desert conditions are demanding and the landscape offers few amenities.

The reserve is unfenced, which makes its oryx the only population of the species living in the wild; about 149 animals were released between 1995 and 2013, and roughly 500 were estimated present in 2013. On 24 June 2025 the IUCN added the reserve to its Green List of effectively and fairly managed protected areas, one of only about 90 sites chosen from more than 300,000 worldwide.