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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