ARABIAN ORYXAn endangered species native to the deserts of the Arabian peninsulaEstimated number left in the wild: 1,100

Estimated number in captivity: 6,000-7,000

Physical characteristics

Arabian oryx are large land mammals. They are sometimes called “white

antelope”. They have white fur covering their

bodies. Their heads often have black or brown

patches and their legs are brown. Both males and females have large,

curved horns.

Physical characteristics, continued They weigh 80-100 kg (175-220 lbs) and

stand 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) high. They can live up to 20 years. They sleep during the heat of the day

and come out at night.

Physical characteristics, continued Some say the legend of the unicorn may

have come from the Arabian oryx because when it is viewed from the side, its two horns can look like one.

Habitat

The Arabian Oryx is a creature of the desert.

Geographic territory

It once roamed wild in the deserts of the Gulf region.

Geographic territory, continued Now it exists mostly in zoos and wildlife

preserves. A few animals have been released back

into the wild in Jordan and Oman.

Diet

Grasses and desert plants form most of the oryx’s diet.

It can go for several weeks without water!

Conservation efforts

The Arabian Oryx actually went EXTINCT in the wild in the late 1960s.

People had been hunting the oryx from their cars, in big groups, with high-powered rifles.

There were only a few animals left in private collections, mostly owned by Arabian royalty.

BANG!!

Conservation efforts, continued In 1968, the leader of the United Arab

Emirates, Sheikh Zayed, started a breeding program for the oryx at the Al Ain Zoo.

Conservation efforts, continued A few animals from several private

collections were also sent to the Phoenix Zoo.

The Zoo had great success in breeding the animals.

The London Zoo and the San Diego Zoo also helped.

Conservation efforts, continued

Future prospects

Royal figures of several Gulf nations have taken an interest in the Arabian oryx.

Oman set aside land for a special Arabian oryx sanctuary in 1982.

However, in 2007, the Oman sanctuary became the first ever site to be deleted from UNESCO’s World Heritage list because the size of the sanctuary was reduced by 90% to allow for petrol prospecting.

Conclusion

Through international cooperation, the Arabian Oryx has been saved from extinction, but continued efforts are needed to help it survive in the wild.

References

Sources: AbuDhabi.ae http://www.abudhabi.ae/egovPoolPortal_WAR/appmanager/ADeGP/Citizen?

_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=p_citizen_homepage_hidenav&did=152020&lang=en

SanDiegoZoo.org http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-oryx.html

UNESCO http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/362

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_oryx

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siKPSHm9JxU