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| Latin name | Oryx dammah |
| Head & Body Length | 1.5-2.4m (5-8ft) |
| Shoulder Height | 1.1-1.3m (3.5-4ft) |
| Weight | 135-200kg (297-440lb) |
| Gestation | 242-285days |
| No. of young | usually 1 but twins have been reported |
| Lifespan | up to 20 years |
Scimitar Horned Oryx were once found throughout the North and South Sahara but have now been reduced in numbers so much, that they are almost extinct in the wild. Their habitat is acrid plains and semi-desert.
Scimitar Horned Oryx graze between dawn and dusk and their main diet consists of grasses, bulbs, shrubs, leaves and fruits. The plants that they eat provide them with the moisture that they need, hence their ability to go for days without needing to drink.
They migrate over long distances in order to search for food.
Scimitar Horned Oryx mate around the end of winter and during the first rains. The gestation period lasts for between 242 and 285 days and the offspring are born around March or October, depending when the Oryx mated. A single baby will normally be born although twins have been reported. The calves weigh approximately 15kg.
The females keep their calves concealed in the bush to protect them from predators. As the calves grow, they interact with other calves in a group. These are called crèches. The calves will nurse until they are 4 ½ months old.
Scimitar Horned Oryx have white coats which reflect the heat of the sun. They also have brown colouring on their necks. Both males and females have long, backward curling horns which can reach up to 1.2m in length. These horns have a sharp tip.
They have broad hooves which prevent the Oryx from sinking into the sand.
Scimitar Horned Oryx are gregarious and are reluctant to live alone. They live in groups of 2-12 members.
When these antelopes need to rest they will dig shallow depressions in the soft ground under trees.
Scimitar Horned Oryx are the most endangered of all types of antelope. They were once widespread throughout North and South Sahara but now they are thought to be almost extinct in the wild. The only areas in their original range where they are found are a small reintroduced population in Tunisia and a small population in a reserve in Chad.
Hunting is one of the reasons that they have become so endangered. Once known as ‘the game of the desert’, guns and desert vehicles had lead to these animals being wiped out in thousands. They have also been used as target practice for bored soldiers. Their striking heads are used for trophies and their sharp edged horns are used by locals for spears.
They have also had competition from domestic livestock; most of the area available to them has been taken over by farmers. Overgrazing by domestic livestock has meant that much of their range has been turned into unproductive desert which not even the Oryx can live on.
They have also faced problems with droughts. Luckily there have been many captive-breeding programs which have prevented this animal from dying out altogether.
- Scimitar Horned Oryx can go for days or even months without drinking, partly due to the fact that they gain their moisture from the plants that they eat
- Scimitar Horned Oryx travel for miles towards fresh plant growth. They are apparently able to detect where rain has fallen miles away from them.
- Scimitar Horned Oryx are easily tamed and were domesticated by the ancient Egyptians.
- Scimitar Horned Oryx can defend themselves using their horns and they are capable of killing a Lion in this way.