Scimitar oryx is back from the brink

Al Ain: The scimitar-horned oryx, believed to be extinct in the wild, is now on display at Al Ain Zoo following the introduction of an exhibit of endangered species.

It is one of the many species the zoo recently acquired in line with its reintroduction and conservation strategy, said Majid Al Mansouri, managing director of Al Ain Zoo. He said the oryx once lived in areas ranging from Morocco and Tunisia to Egypt and south to Mauritania and Sudan.

Occasional sightings of it have been recorded in Chad and Niger but those reports have not been confirmed, he added.

"The arrival of the scimitar-horned oryx is part of the zoo's long-term strategy to identify and conserve endangered species in the region," said Al Mansouri.

Hunted

The scimitar-horned oryx, also known as the Oryx dammah, has a white coat which allows it to reflect heat, allowing the animals to roam desert areas in search of food.

Living in herds of up to 70, with a dominant male, they travel great distances in search of food. In the wet season they migrate north into the Sahara, returning south as the dry season approaches.

Threatened by agricultural development that has led to fragmentation of their habitat, Al Mansouri said these animals have been hunted for their meat and sporting trophies.

They are well adapted to desert life, with their diet consisting mainly of grasses, leaves, roots and pods. They are able to go without water for long periods of time, by taking moisture from the plants that they eat and have specially adapted kidneys that prevent excessive water loss.

Al Mansouri said the oryx's arrival is part of the changes undertaken at the zoo in the past 12 months. New features include a mixed Arabian exhibit, a mixed African Savannah exhibit, a nocturnal house and new lion and gorilla exhibits.

Mark Craig, the zoo's director, said the scimitar-horned oryx have been included in the zoo's conservation captive breeding programme and will be part of a reintroduction programme to sites in North Africa in the coming years.

In April the zoo, operating under the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, released a number of Arabian Oryx to their natural habitat as part of its reintroduction programme.

Acclimatised: Well-suited to desert life

• Once common in North Africa in herds of 1,000 or more. Now extinct in the wild.
• Well adapted to desert life and travel great distances in search of food.
• Can go without water for many weeks, moisture is gained from plants.
• Their kidneys are specially adapted to prevent excess water loss.
• Their white coat reflects heat and their body temperature can rise to 46.5°C before they start to sweat.
• They live in herds of up to 70 animals and have a 20-year lifespan.
• A single baby is born away from the herd but mother and baby join the group within hours of birth.
• They have been hunted to extinction in the wild for meat and trophies.
• Al Ain Zoo has a group of over 150 animals and is part of a conservation breeding programme.