ARABIAN ORYX An endangered species native to the deserts of the Arabian peninsula Estimated 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 kg ( 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  Today, there are about 1,100 in the wild and 7,000 in captivity.  The largest population, more than 4,500, is in located in the United Arab Emirates.

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  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  _pageLabel=p_citizen_homepage_hidenav&did=152020&lang=en _pageLabel=p_citizen_homepage_hidenav&did=152020&lang=en  SanDiegoZoo.org   UNESCO   Wikipedia   Youtube 