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Oryx are large antelopes. Quite often they are also called oryx. The graceful animals owe their second nickname to their external resemblance to chamois (the presence of a striped pattern on the muzzle) and bulls (larger physique compared to their counterparts). Interestingly, there are no family ties with these vertebrates. Closer to them in this regard are representatives of the equine family, addaxes and black antelopes.
photo:Deepak Narayanan Madangarli
All oryx that form the genus Oryx are included in the subfamily Hippotraginae. Currently, 3 species of these slender animals have been described: the common (African) oryx, the Arabian (white, Arabian) oryx and the saber-horned oryx. Some scientists insist on identifying the beyza (a subspecies of oryx) as a separate species.
The African oryx (Oryx gazella) is the largest representative of the genus. The mass of an individual often reaches 240 kg. Adult males are larger in size than the king of beasts, the lion. As for the height at the shoulder, it measures 120-125 cm. The harmoniously built antelope with a brownish-beige color is a living embodiment of power and elegance. The black and white muzzle resembles a mask. 
photo: Ted Botha
Oryx is endowed with long, slightly curved horns, the average length of which is 85 cm. There are also one and a half meter specimens. Both males and females sport impressive decorations, the only difference being that in the first case they are thicker. Oryx have 32 teeth. The length of the animal's skull is approximately 40 cm.
Representatives of the artiodactyl order are fast and hardy runners, capable of covering dozens of kilometers at high speeds (up to 70 km/h). Thanks to this, they easily escape from their pursuers. Sick individuals and calves most often fall into the clutches of predators (lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and hyena dogs). 
photo:shanidov
Oryxes are considered polygamous animals. They live in herds led by adult males. The number of individuals in a separate group ranges from 6 to 12. Larger formations (30-40 animals) are extremely rare. Due to the limited breeding season, females that have reached sexual maturity are able to reproduce year-round. The duration of pregnancy is close to that of humans (8-9 months). Childbirth ends with the birth of one horned calf, whose weight varies between 10-15 kg. After just a few hours, the babies can follow the herd. Under natural conditions, oryxes live up to 18 years.
photo: Manuel ROMARÍS
Fights for females are common among oryxes. During a kind of duel, the males position themselves shoulder to shoulder, after which they begin fencing. Quite often, a “militant” activity is accompanied by kneeling. As a rule, things do not come to the point of bloodshed. Even in the heat of a fight, animals follow strict rules that do not include striking the body.
The habitat of common oryx is limited to South and East Africa. Preference is given to semi-deserts and deserts. Sometimes oryx can be found in open savannas. Oryx are also native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. 
Photo: Morkel Erasmus
Oryxes are unpretentious when it comes to food. Satisfied with the sparse vegetation, the animals consume desert herbs, wild melons and cucumbers. In the absence of suitable food, they switch to roots and tubers, which they successfully dig up. Oryx are perfectly adapted to life in arid regions. Graceful representatives of the bovid family can survive without water for several weeks. The total number of these antelopes is gradually declining, as a result of which they need protection.
photo: Vittorio Ricci
Within the Arabian Peninsula, you can come across Oryx leucoryx, called Arabian, Arabian or white oryx. The smaller animal compared to its African counterpart is characterized by a white color with clearly visible black markings located on the forehead, chest and front legs. This species is so rare in nature that people have started intensively breeding it in zoos and special reserves (for example, in Israel). The most optimistic estimates indicate that today there are approximately 500 antelopes of this species preserved. 
Photo: Buck Valley Ranch
Oryx dammah (saber-horned oryx) has chosen the Sahara. In terms of size, it is ahead of the Arabian oryx, but is inferior to the common oryx. A characteristic difference from other species is the reddish markings on the front of the body. The color is predominantly white.
photo: David Siu
As for subspecies, the largest is Oryx gazella gazella (gemsbok, Cape oryx), inhabiting South Africa. East Africa - the domain of Oryx gazella beisa (East African oryx or light-footed beisa). It can be distinguished from the gemsbok by the absence of black markings on the hind legs and the presence of a black spot on the rump. Kenya and Tanzania are habitats of Oryx gazella callotis (brush-eared oryx). As distinctive features, the animal received a brownish color and tassels on its ears.
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Oryx, or oryx (genus Oryx), are large antelopes, the number of which in the 20th century. decreased greatly. One of the species, the white oryx, was almost on the verge of extinction and was saved only thanks to special international programs and captive breeding. True, CIS zoos do not have sufficient experience in keeping these animals. Only in Kaliningrad and Nikolaev they keep the base (one of the subspecies of the common oryx) for a long time - without much success, however, in their breeding. However, the author of this article managed to collect interesting material in captive oryx biology during his tenure as director of the Riyadh Zoo, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1996–2001).
There are three types of oryx. Arabian, or white,oryx (Oryx leucoryx), formerly distributed throughout the Arabian Peninsula from Mesopotamia west to the Sinai Peninsula and north to the Syrian Deserts; saber-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), inhabiting the semi-desert regions of the edges of the Sahara, and was previously found in Africa from Senegal to the Red Sea (today only a few isolated populations survive in Chad, Niger, Mali and possibly Mauritania, Western Sahara and Sudan), and common oryx(Oryx gazella). The latter is divided into three subspecies: base (O. gazella beisa), inhabiting the semi-deserts and savannas of East Africa; cyst-eared oryx(O. gazella callotis), living there; gemsbok, or South African oryx(O. gazella gazella), common in the South African region and geographically isolated from other oryxes.
Externally, all oryxes are similar. They have a compact body, a powerful neck of medium length, a slightly lowered head - in general, their appearance is somewhat reminiscent of the appearance of a reindeer. This similarity is complemented by a large head and wide hooves, adapted for movement on sandy soil. Oryx's legs are high, the front ones are slightly shorter than the back ones. The horns are long, almost straight, with transverse annular projections at the bottom. The horns of females are thinner, but longer. The oryx's tail is long, with a large brush of hair at the end. A short, erect mane runs down the middle of the neck from the scruff of the neck.
Riyadh Zoo has experience in keeping and breeding all living species of oryx and four of the five known taxonomy forms, except the raceme-eared oryx.
Riyadh is located in the subtropical arid zone, in a region with an average summer temperature of +35.5 °C and a humidity of 22%, and an average winter temperature of +16.2 °C and a humidity of 55%. This climate is perfectly suitable for oryxes, since it corresponds to the conditions in their natural habitats.
In nature, oryxes eat many types of plants, including grasses and branches of shrubs. Using the moisture that accumulates in plants at night, they can go without drinking for a long time (several days).
At the Riyadh Zoo, oryxes are fed hay and fresh alfalfa grass, chopped carrots and apples, lettuce and mixed feed. All enclosures constantly contain mineral blocks and small flowing pools.
White, or Arabian,oryx has the smallest size compared to other oryxes. Males reach a height of 1 m at the withers; females can be slightly larger. The general body color is white with brown stripes and spots.
The Arabian oryx is the only species of the genus living in Asia, and the rarest of the oryxes: excessive and uncontrolled shooting led to its complete extinction in nature by 1972. However, back in 1962, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wide Fund wildlife and other institutions have proposed a scheme to save this species. Nine oryxes captured in the Arabian Rub al-Khali desert, and several more individuals from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and London Zoo, arrived at the Phoenix Zoo in the US state of Arizona. In this and other US zoos, work began on intensive breeding of white oryxes, which gave rise to new breeding groups on the Arabian Peninsula.
In the 1980s In Saudi Arabia, two research centers with oryx nurseries were created under the patronage of the Nature Conservation Commission - near Taif and Thummam. In addition, Dr. Jammaz's private nursery was established near Al-Kharj, where over 100 animals are currently kept. These nurseries use semi-free keeping of animals in large fenced areas.
In the mid-1980s. White oryxes were reintroduced into the wild in the Mahazat Al-Said Nature Reserve in Saudi Arabia. White oryxes were also reintroduced in Oman, where by 1995 there were already 315 wild individuals. There are now breeding groups of these antelopes in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The total number of the species currently exceeds
2000 and the threat of extinction of the Arabian oryx as a species no longer exists. However, work to restore its populations in its former habitats is still far from complete.
A small breeding group of oryxes (up to 10 animals) now lives at the Riyadh Zoo. In 1989–1995 Three white oryx were acquired and sired seven calves between December 1994 and May 2000. Currently, the third generation of offspring has also been obtained. In the future, the Riyadh Zoo plans to keep no more than two adult males and three to four females, and transfer the remaining animals to other nurseries in the country. This will allow us to join the common cause of preserving the species and restoring its natural populations.
From various literary sources it is known that the gestation period for oryxes can range from 240 to 300 days. Two females kept at the zoo gave birth to calves - one after 277 and 254 days, and the other after 286 and 240 days. True, in the latter case, the cub was born small and weak, could not stand on its feet and, despite all the measures taken to save it, died three days later. However, in general, a monthly difference in the duration of pregnancy even in one animal is quite possible. Variation in the timing of embryonic development (and possibly the presence of embryonic diapause) may well be an adaptation to the arid climate of the Arabian Peninsula.
Interesting feature In the behavior of Arabian oryxes, what distinguishes them from other species of these antelopes is the pronounced aggressiveness of adult males towards humans. In this regard, at the Riyadh Zoo, three adult males are kept in isolation in the internal premises and are released into the outdoor enclosure only during the mating season (selectively, taking into account the degree of relationship between the male and the female ready for mating). In order to clean the enclosure at this time and give the animals food, the male has to be isolated again each time. This is not difficult to do - it is enough for one of the employees to appear in the right place, and the male immediately heads there with clearly aggressive intentions. I had to watch how, seeing a man in his enclosure, the male took off and literally “without understanding the road” rushed towards him and immediately attacked the door where the employee was hiding.
Of course, this behavior of animals makes it difficult to keep large numbers of them in the limited space of a zoo. And keeping males indoors for most of the year, without direct sunlight, is not optimal for them. But this is a necessary measure. For these reasons, the nursery at the King Khalid Research Center in Thummam has refused to keep adult males at all and prefers to carry out artificial insemination of females.
At the same time, in large areas, males, staying with the herd, as a rule, do not attack people. We observed this in the private nursery of Dr. Jammaz, located 120 km from Riyadh - near the city of Al-Kharja, where the number of white oryxes already significantly exceeds a hundred. The fenced territory of the nursery - with ravines, transparent groves of umbrella acacias and low rocky hills - is approximately 50 km2 in area, that is, the conditions there are close to natural. Here, together with oryxes, several species of gazelles and mountain ungulates are kept.
Saber-horned oryx- another rare species in nature, which in the near future may be endangered. The total number of animals 15–20 years ago did not exceed 10 thousand, and now it is much less - as a result of poaching, as well as competition with livestock.
The saber-horned oryx is larger than the white one - males reach a height of 120 cm at the withers. The ends of the horns of this species are slightly curved back and are similar in shape to Turkish sabers - hence the name of the animal. The coat color of the saber oryx is light fawn, almost white, with a chestnut tint on the face, neck and upper parts of the limbs.
In 1986–1987 Riyadh Zoo acquired 3 males and 4 females of this species. Subsequently, 40 calves were born at the zoo, of which 30 were over a year old. Currently, there are 6 males and 8 females, including three calves of the last litter.
Saber-horned oryxes are easier to keep than Arabian oryxes. All animals are kept together in an outdoor enclosure - including several males, between whom a strict hierarchy is established. True, during the period of heat, one of the females was observed to have fights between males, which sometimes led to serious injuries. The very method of tournament fighting is interesting - the males kneel with their front legs and try to strike the enemy’s back with their horns from above - throwing their heads back. In adult males, the back is covered with healed scars. Once, in the back of one of the released oryxes, we found a fragment of the horn of his opponent, 4 cm long.
Oryx mating occurs during the first two weeks after birth, usually from the third day, when the dominant male begins to show interest in the female, releasing appropriate pheromones. Both animals stand sideways to each other - head to tail of the partner and make circular movements, like a dancing couple. Such “dances” can last for several days. When the female comes into estrus, she allows the male to come up behind her and the male touches her hind legs with his front legs, checking her readiness. Mating lasts 10–15 s and is repeated several times a day.
According to our observations (10 cases), the average duration of pregnancy in a saber-horned oryx in the zoo is 268 days, the minimum is 242, and the maximum is 293 days. The intervals between births vary from 256–259 to more than 515 days. We determined the smallest age of the female at her first mating as 1 year and 6 months.
- one of the subspecies of the third species of the genus - the common oryx. Externally, bases are similar to other oryxes, but have a dark body color. Its main tone is gray-brown with a yellowish tint. The spots and stripes on the muzzle and on the sides of the body, back, and also on the forearms are black. The lower parts of the limbs and belly of the animals are light, almost white. Unlike the white and saber-horned oryx, the baze lives in more humid habitats.
The number of bases in nature has decreased everywhere. Some time ago, the Riyadh Zoo kept several breeding individuals of this form, but then they were replaced by gemsboks.
Externally, the gemsbok is very similar to the beiza, but the overall body color is pure gray, without brownish-yellow tones. In addition, all dark areas of the body are wider than those of the base and have a more intense contrasting color. The horns of gemsboks are almost straight (in bases they are slightly curved back), the neck, especially in males, is very powerful. And in general, their exterior is more “massive”.
The gemsbok lives in the Namib and Kalahari deserts, preferring to settle in their shrub-acacia parts, where they can find enough food.
At the Riyadh Zoo, gemsboks are kept in two groups - the first (1 male with 4 females) in the open enclosure of the zoo, and the second (1 male and 2 females) in a separate enclosure in the Riyadh Municipal Park (branch of the zoo). The animals reproduce well, and to date, like the Arabian and saber-horned oryx, descendants of the third generation have already been obtained.
Oryx or oryx (Oryx gazelle) is a species of saber-horned antelope. A beautiful, tall animal with a massive body and very long stiletto horns, the oryx is a symbol of endurance and unpretentiousness. Like no other large mammal, it is adapted to life under the hot desert sun.
Since open bodies of water are rare in oryx habitats, the animals have adapted to meet their water needs through food. Desert grasses, which have dried out during the day, absorb so much moisture from the air at night that they replenish their mass by a third. Therefore, in semi-deserts and dry savannas, antelopes prefer to graze at night or early in the morning, when the sun is just beginning to rise. In addition, oryx feed on tubers, roots, fruits and leaves, which contain moisture. They can feel groundwater and dig up sources.
Oryx has the ability to minimize fluid loss. The system of cervical arteries passing through the frontal sinus acts as a heat exchanger on the principle of counterflow: warm arterial blood comes from the heart and comes into contact with the vessels through which blood flows, passing from the nose, where it has been cooled during breathing. And only after passing through this “heat exchanger” does arterial blood enter the heat-sensitive brain. Thus, the animal’s body temperature can rise to 45 degrees, while the head remains cold.
The oryx is widespread in Namibia, Botswana, southwestern Angola, western Zimbabwe, and northern South Africa.
The height of the animal is on average 1.2 meters, males weigh about 180, females - about 150 kg. The body is massive, the neck is thick, the legs are thin and high. The oryx's tail is similar to a horse's - long and fluffy, but with the difference that the hair grows from the middle of the tail. The formidable weapon of the oryx is its horns, which stick out like spears and can reach 1.25 meters in length.
Oryx are predominantly herd animals; they gather in groups of 10 animals. But if after the rains the greenery begins to grow wild, they can unite into a herd of more than 50 animals.
Males are very cocky, and fights often arise between them over the female. As soon as the oryx sees an opponent, it immediately enters the fight using its long stiletto horns. Fortunately, fights rarely end in bloodshed.
Like many other ungulates, oryx make long migrations to new pastures during the dry season. The direction of movement is determined by the leader of the herd, but he himself goes behind, urging on those lagging behind. An experienced female leader walks ahead of the herd.
Oryxes do not have a specific breeding season. Pregnancy lasts 9-10 months, after which one calf is born. During the first six weeks, the cow hides her calf in bushes, thick grass, or in depressions in the soil. When a mother visits her cub to feed, she first calls it from a distance from the shelter. She does this so that predators do not smell the baby’s hiding place. When the calf grows a little, the mother joins it with a herd or group that already has calves.
Distribution and appearance
Common oryx, or oryx ( Oryx gazella) lives in Eastern and Southern Africa, its range stretches from Ethiopia and Somalia to Namibia and South Africa. These antelopes prefer deserts and semi-deserts, but are also found in open savannas.
Common oryx- a slender, harmoniously built animal that perfectly combines power and elegance. Both sexes have a thick neck, long, relatively thin and sharp horns, reaching an average length of 90 cm (sometimes up to 1.5 m), and resembling a horse's tail. They are capable of developing enormous speeds, and are also very durable and can run at high speed for many tens of kilometers.
Nutrition
Oryx are well adapted to long-term existence without water. Oryx They are unpretentious in food and can feed on the most scanty vegetation. The basis of their diet is desert grasses, covered with dust and sand - the teeth of these antelopes with high crowns are perfectly adapted for such rough food. In addition to herbs, the oryx supplements its menu with wild melons and cucumbers, and sometimes digs up tubers and plant roots.
Reproduction
Pregnancy oryx lasts about 8.5 months, one calf is born, weighing 10-15 kg. He already has small horns on his head and after a few hours is quite capable of running after the herd.
Ornyxes, or oryx, are unusually beautiful and large antelopes. They received their second name for their resemblance to chamois (striped pattern on the muzzle) and their large body compared to other antelopes.
But, oryxes are in no way related to chamois or bulls. The closest relatives of these antelopes are representatives of equidae, black antelopes and addaxes.
There are only 4 species of oryx in nature:
- White Arabian;
- East African (beisa);
- Cape, or saber-horned. Otherwise known as a saber-horned antelope.
Representatives of all types of oryx look approximately the same. At least they all have identical body proportions: Height at the withers is more than 130 cm, body weight in females is 180-210 kg, in males up to 260.
Oryxes have a rather graceful neck, a well-muscled body and thin, high legs. The tail has something like a tassel at the end. But the hair grows from the middle of the tail. Therefore, their tail is very similar to a horse's. And the small short mane adds even more resemblance to this animal.
However, the appearance of this antelope has its own peculiarity. These are horns. They are the longest of all antelope horns. Moreover, in males they are a little massive, and somewhat shorter than in females of their species. Straight-horned white, Cape and East African oryxes are distinguished by their straight and long horns. In the saber-horned antelope they are curved like sabers.
The Cape Oryx has a grey-colored body. The head, belly and legs have the old and black stripes. In the area of the sub-tail zone there is always a small white spot. The tail is quite dark, almost black, and this trend continues in the stripe (belt) from the tail to the head.
The white oryx practically retains the coloring of the Cape, only its legs are darker and without transverse stripes, and the body, on the contrary, is very light, in some individuals almost snow-white.
The saber-horned antelope is almost white. It’s just that the area around the neck, chest and the stripe in the middle of the forehead is reddish-brown. Legs - sandy.
The horns of all types of oryx are exclusively black.
East African oryx, or beisa (Oryx beisa) The main habitats of oryxes are Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The most common type is base. it can be found in Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania.
The Cape Oryx has chosen the south and southwest of Africa. Saberhorns live in Nigeria, Mali and Chad. And once upon a time they could be found in northern Africa.
The white oryx is exclusively native to the Arabian Peninsula.
Oryx prefer dry and desert places. They chose deserts and semi-deserts, arid areas of the steppes as their usual habitat. They easily take root in extreme conditions; they are never found in the savannah. But you can see it among the quicksand. These antelopes, in principle, are not “tourists”. Only danger, predators and hunger can drive them from their place. And so - they are practically sedentary animals.
Oryxes are animals of dusk and dawn. They graze in the cool of the twilight, and during the day they hide from the scorching sun in the shade.
The external melancholy of these antelopes is extremely deceptive. If they are in danger, they can run at speeds of up to 70 km/h. And this is faster than the fastest Arabian horse, almost the same as a leopard. But oryxes can maintain this speed for a very long time. Therefore, they are quite difficult prey for any predator.
Oryx live in small herds of 5-15 individuals. Very rarely, a herd can number up to 35 heads. The head of the herd is a large and experienced male. However, such a large male can be found alone.
These antelope are super unpretentious eaters. They can eat with equal pleasure the fruits of wild melons and watermelons, which, moreover, quench the thirst of desert antelopes, as well as dry grass and bush branches.
Oryx can live without drinking for several weeks, or even a month. They replenish moisture in the body with morning dew, which they collect while grazing in the early hours. But, if an oryx gets to a watering hole, it will definitely drink in reserve and to its heart’s content.
Oryxes do not adhere to a seasonal breeding plan. As it turns out, so it turns out. Males are happy to organize exhibition fights (for in these fights not a drop of antelope blood has ever been shed). They butt heads, fencing with their impressive horns, can kneel down... but all this is bloodless and safe for opponents.
The female carries a calf approximately like a human - 8.5-9 months. But in the case of an antelope, a newborn is born weighing up to 15 kilograms. The calf has a fawn color, which allows it to hide among the sands. He will lie down in the shelter for several days, and then he will follow on the heels of his mother.
An antelope weighing 150 kg is a very desirable prey for predators. But sometimes it’s not even possible to defeat the oryx. There were cases when antelopes simply pierced them with their horns. Hyenas, and only hunt small calves and sick antelopes.
The indigenous people of Africa rarely hunted oryx. They are not easy to catch up and even more difficult to drive. The misfortune of these animals came with firearms. It’s hard to resist a bullet, and there are plenty of people willing to pose in front of a large, defeated antelope. The saddest fate befell the saber-horned antelope. She was killed for her exceptionally beautiful horns. This species is listed in the Red Book.
The number of Arabian oryx was reduced to nothing by the hunting of sheikhs and other rich people of the Arab world. The last free-living white oryx was killed in 1972. However, enthusiasts and wildlife defenders had recently managed to export three individuals to the United States, where in the city of Phoenix, at the local zoo, they managed to slightly increase the number of these animals. Some antelopes were returned to the wild. However, complete recovery is very far away. The level of poaching in the habitats of these animals is too high.
The Arabian oryx is listed in the Red Book, is carefully protected by the government of Oman and is declared a heritage of the countries of the Arab Basin.
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