Where does the Arabian oryx live?
The Arabian oryx is a medium-sized antelope, the smallest member of the genus Oryx, native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian Peninsula. In the early 20th century it occupied the Arabian Peninsula and the north of Kuwait and Iraq. It lives in herds of about 60 animals. Its coat is an almost luminous white, and it has a distinct shoulder bump, long, straight horns and a tufted tail.
What does the Arabian oryx eat?
It is a herbivore, very well adapted to dry environments: it can go for long periods without drinking. Both sexes have long, straight or slightly curved, ringed horns, 0.61 to 1.49 m long. It stands between 0.79 and 1.25 m tall at the shoulder.
Is the Arabian oryx endangered?
Yes: the IUCN lists it as Vulnerable. The Arabian oryx was extinct in the wild by the early 1970s, but was saved in zoos and private reserves, and reintroduced into the wild starting in 1980. In 2011, it was the first animal to revert to vulnerable status after previously being listed as extinct in the wild. In 2016, populations were estimated at 1,220 individuals in the wild, including 850 mature individuals, and 6,000 to 7,000 in captivity worldwide.
All 71 threatened animals ›
