Common name: Scimitar-Horned Oryx
Scientific name: Oryx dammah 

At the zoo: An all-female herd: Onyx (14y), Osha (12y), Olive (7y), and Octavia (5y); you can find them, along with their good friend Nancy nilgai at the SW corner of the zoo.

Habitat:
Extinct in the wild - once prevalent throughout the deserts of northern Africa

Diet:
In the wild, Scimitar-Horned Oryx will eat grasses, plants, herbs, roots, bulbs, foliage and sometimes fruit.

Median Life Expectancy:
11 - 15 years

Conservation Status: Extinct in the Wild

Biology:
Scimitar-Horned Oryx are mostly white with reddish-brown necks and brown/black marks on their face. They have long curved horns that can grow to be several feet long, with both males and females having horns. Their large hooves allow them to walk on the sand.

The scimitar-horned oryx has been considered extinct in the wild since the 1990s due to a combination of habitat loss, over-hunting, and competition with livestock. In 2009, multiple accredited zoos and organizations launched a historic reintroduction effort, and the first group of animals were released in 2016. The program saw true success when young calves were born in the wild later that year. Continued conservation efforts must focus on finding more suitable habitats and protecting them as wildlife reserves.

Fun Fact:
Did you know that Scimitar-horned oryx can raise their body temperature to 46 degrees Celsius to avoid sweating and losing water!?