Dubai Zoo gets three oryx

Three new additions have found a cosy home in the fenced enclosures of Dubai Zoo.

A resident of Dubai has donated three fringe-eared Oryx, a cousin of the Beisa Oryx, to the emirate's own 'animal farm'.

Dr Reza Khan, Head of the Zoo Section at Dubai Municipality's Public Parks and Horticulture Department, confirmed that it is the first time Dubai Zoo has housed this species.

"When you look at this brownish, very long horned, hoofed mammal, you see a projected portion of the ear with long tufts of hair. Hence the name 'Fringe-eared' Oryx," explained Dr Khan.

The zoo has a collection of about 1,000 animals, including 210 mammals, 450 birds and 250 reptiles, and some food animals.

He added that the specimens came as a gift from Omar Sayeed Al Naboodah.

Two females and an adult male were in an open-air enclosure near Awir and the Zoo staff first surveyed the area and drafted a strategy to tranquilise the Oryx early hours morning.

Dr Khan said he headed a team of 15, assisted by the Zoo veterinarian Dr Nazrul Islam Pathan, reached the spot at 5.30am and started the operation.

"It took nearly three hours to catch all three oryxes. Fortu-nately, it was a cloudy day and it was quite breezy too," he said.

The animals were tranquilised, placed in individual crates by 8.30am, and transported to the zoo in Jumeirah by 9am. They were immediately released into a zoo enclosure where three special blower fans were installed. The whole enclosure was drenched with water and the oryx were sprayed with water at alternate hours.

The new enclosure was readied after transferring seven groups of animals including a pair of cheetah, three sub-adult Bengal Tigers, a hyaena, an Egyptian Jackal, two emus, six gazelles and four Hog Deer.

"All three oryx have settled in the zoo. They are not afraid of visitors," said Dr Khan.

The fringe-eared Oryx (Feo) is found in the dry plains and savanna country of Kenya and Tanzania, usually by the side of the River Tana. It is one of the common oryx and antelopes of the great African Plain south of the Sahara Desert.

Feos live in medium to large herds of up to 200 animals. Each herd has a dominant male. There is also a dominant female.

This female's job is to lead the herd when the leader male guards and drives the herd. There are usually 10 to 12 large males and the rest are females and babies of different age groups.

It is a 'day animal', concentrating on feeding activities during the morning and evening hours. It is both a grazer and browser although ground level vegetation is preferred.

In the zoos, it takes hoofed mammal pellets, alfalfa grass and some chopped hard fruits and vegetables, such as apples and carrots.

In nature, it can live without drinking water for days. During the hottest hours of the day, it can raise its body temperature to 46 degrees centigrade without perspiring.

Its kidney has a special feature to control the release of water as urine.