Oryx

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For the helicopter, see Atlas Oryx.

Oryxes
Oryx gazella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Hippotraginae Genus: Oryx
Species
Oryx beisa Oryx dammah Oryx gazella Oryx leucoryx

An Oryx is one of three or four large antelope species of the genus Oryx, typically having long straight almost upright horns. Three of the species are found in Africa with a fourth in Arabia and Southern Israel. Small populations exist in Texas and New Mexico, USA. The New Mexico population was started between 1969 and 1977 when the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish released 93 oryx onto the White Sands Missile range.

Some taxonomists describe Oryx beisa as a subspecies of Oryx gazella. The Arabian oryx, the smallest species became extinct in the wild in 1972 from the Arabian Peninsula. It was reintroduced in 1982 in Oman but poaching has had negative effects on the species. Subsequent reintroduction programmes have placed the number of Arabian oryx in the wild at around 250. About 600 more are in captivity. The oryx dammah is now extinct from the wild in Africa, however.

Newborn calves can run with the herd immediately after birth. Both males and females have permanent, narrow, straight horns. These horns are quite dangerous.

The Oryx, when seen from the side, appears to have only one single horn which leads to speculations that it is probably the animal initially mistaken for Unicorn myths.

• FAMILY BOVIDAE
  • Subfamily Hippotraginae
    • Genus Hippotragus
    • Genus Oryx
      • East African Oryx, Oryx beisa
      • Scimitar Oryx, Oryx dammah
      • Gemsbok, Oryx gazella
      • Arabian Oryx, Oryx leucoryx
    • Genus Addax

[edit] External link

Oryx

• Oryx:Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation