Animals
Class: Mammal
Biome:
Conservation Status: Extinct In The Wild
About this animal
The Scimitar Oryx, or Scimitar-Horned Oryx, (Oryx dammah) is a species of oryx which formerly inhabited the whole of North Africa. It’s a desert antelope capable of growing to a height of 1.2m at the shoulder and can weigh up to 200kg. Their white coat reflects sunlight, helping to keep the Oryx cool. It’s thought that the dark stripe through the eye protects it from the glare of the sun. Both males and females have horns that grow up to 1m in length. Oryx can breed at any time of the year. Females generally give birth to one calf. Like all hoofed animals, the young are able to get up and follow their mothers when they are just one hour old! Calves can feed on their own after four months, staying with the parent herd but no longer remaining with their mothers. Oryx reach maturity when they are about two years of age.
Did you know?
The Oryx obtains most of its water requirements through the vegetation it consumes. Oryx can sense rainfall far away and will travel up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) to feed on freshly sprouted vegetation
