Over 83,000 lessons in all major subjects, {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, Metamorphosis Lesson for Kids: Definition & Examples, Facts About Nocturnal Animals: Lesson for Kids, Hibernation Lesson for Kids: Definition & Facts, Where Are Fossils Found? Would you believe that in the 1970s there were no wild Arabian oryx? Oryx dig depressions in the ground with their front hooves, so they can lie in cooler sand, which provides some protection against fierce desert winds. [1], In June 2011, the Arabian oryx was relisted as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. However, if conditions are favorable, a female is able to produce one calf a year in any month. Oryx can sense rainfall far away and travel up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) to feed on freshly sprouted vegetation. To fight these really hot temperatures, the fur on the Arabian oryx is white. According to the IUCN Red List, the total Arabian oryx population size is around 1,000 individuals. In this lesson, you will learn interesting facts about the Arabian oryx. Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. study [27] The Arabian oryx is also listed in CITES Appendix I. - Lesson for Kids, Why are Tigers Endangered? Overgrazing has reduced the quality of their habitat, posing a threat to their survival as well. Since the Arabian oryx’s skin has no glare or reflection, it is very hard to see them even from 100 meters away. Arabian oryx are a gregarious species and form herds of 5 to 30, with more if conditions are good. com); Arabian Oryx #2 (Huffman 2004) The Arabian oryx is a medium-sized antelope weighing 65 - 75 kg (140 - 170 lb). All rights reserved. These adaptations allow the animal to remain at … Females can give birth at any time of the year, which usually results in one calf per year. Learn more about your next visit >>. The Arabian name ri'ïm is the equivalent of the Hebrew name re'em, also meaning white oryx, suggesting a borrowing in the Early Modern Era. Arabian oryx are polygynous breeders. In the 1990s the reintroduction of herds was a success and now poaching has again become a serious threat that has devastated the population in Oman. The Arabian oryx is able to smell rain in the distance. They have a keen sense of awareness of rainfall, even at extreme distances. Though this name was to persist for many years, Oldfield Thomas renamed the scimitar oryx as Oryx algazal in 1903 (it has since been renamed Oryx dammah), and gave the Arabian oryx back its original name. They are no longer extinct in the wild and are herbivores that only eat plants. This antelope once roamed the entirety of the Arabian Peninsula, extending into Israel, Iraq and as far north as Syria. This is what the desert is like where the Arabian oryx lives. The main threat to the Arabian oryx has historically been overzealous hunting practices, illegal poaching and drought. Arabian Oryx. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page. Decisions Revisited: Why Did You Choose a Public or Private College? Its light color reflects the desert heat and sunlight. Genus Oryx comprises five evolutionary isolates, of which one, Oryx leucoryx, is adapted to deserts, three, Oryx dammah, Oryx gazella beisa, Oryx gazella gazella, to subdesert or semidesert habitats, the last, Oryx gazella callotis, to somewhat more … They have also had issues with illegal capture for sale in some sanctuaries. The Arabian oryx was extinct in the wild by the early 1970s, but was saved in zoos and private preserves, and was reintroduced into the wild starting in 1980. Once widespread, hunting devastated the wild population and outside of captivity, the Arabian oryx became extinct in 1972. [2] The last Arabian oryx in the wild prior to reintroduction were reported in 1972. Over 1,000 Oryx have been reintroduced in the wild, and 6-7,000 live in captivity. Services. In 1972 it became extinct in the wild, but was saved by zoos and private reserves, and reintroduced into the wild from 1980, and, as a result, wild populations now live in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Oman, and with current additional reintroduction programs taking place, it is likely that this range will expand into other countries of the Arabian Peninsula. Arabian oryxes are generally not aggressive toward one another, which allows herds to exist peacefully for some time. Arabian oryx are desert antelopes that are perfectly made for living in the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian oryx was then nameless until the first living specimens in Europe were donated to the Zoological Society of London in 1857. Some are kept within large fenced enclosures, including the ones in Qatar, Syria (Al Talila Reserve), Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. In 1986, the Arabian oryx was classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and in 2011, it was the first animal to revert to vulnerable status after previously being listed as extinct in the wild. The animal can erect its hair on cold winter mornings to capture warmth to hold in its thick undercoat. Female Arabian oryx have one baby, called a calf, a year, between October and May, when the weather is cooler. They can detect rainfall and move towards it, meaning they have huge ranges; a herd in Oman can range over 3,000 km2 (1,200 sq mi). Study.com has thousands of articles about every [10], Arabian oryxes prefer to range in gravel desert or hard sand, where their speed and endurance will protect them from most predators, as well as most hunters on foot. The Roman Catholic Vulgata and the Douay-Rheims Bible translated re'em as rhinoceros; other translations are names for a wild bull, wild oxen, buffalo, or gaur, but in some languages a word for unicorn is maintained. The Arabian oryx is probably found in herds of 2-20 individuals. The IUCN estimated there were more than 1,000 Arabian oryx in the wild, with 6,000–7,000 held in captivity worldwide in zoos, preserves, and private collections. They almost seem invisible. (Full text), Conservation Status The Arabian oryx is classified as endangered by the IUCN (1996). first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. The Arabic translation alrim is the most correct choice etymologically, meaning 'white oryx'.[21]. [17] From certain angles, the oryx may seem to have one horn rather than two,[18][19] and given that its horns are made from hollow bone that cannot be regrown, if an Arabian oryx were to lose one of its horns, for the rest of its life, it would have only one. In the winter their legs darken so they can absorb more heat from the sun. The total reintroduced population is now estimated to be around 1,000. (Full text), The Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) is one of the flagship species of the Saudi Arabian reintroduction policy. Earn Transferable Credit & Get your Degree. These countries make up the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian oryx can exist well in large groups, which makes it conducive for more than one family unit to live in the same area. They are active mostly during early morning and in the late evening, resting in groups in the shade when the searing midday heat is present. Great for display, teaching and reference purposes. Other causes of death include fights between males, snakebites, disease, and drowning during floods. Both sexes have long, straight or slightly curved, ringed horns which are 50 to 75 cm (20 to 30 in) long. Family Bovidae, the cow and gazelle family Conservation Status Vulnerable, IUCN Distribution The Arabian and Sinai Peninsulas, parts of Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Food and water are tough to find. [14], The Arabian oryx is the national animal of Jordan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates,[15] Bahrain, and Qatar.[16]. You can test out of the In 1972 the last known animal was shot and the species was made extinct in the wild. Expedition Art Inc., 2101 SL Davis Ave, Austin, TX 78702, USA. [8] A dominance hierarchy is created within the herd by posturing displays, which avoid the danger of serious injury their long, sharp horns could potentially inflict. [8] In periods of drought, though, their life expectancy may be significantly reduced by malnutrition and dehydration. Arabian oryx, though not fast runners, can walk long distances and have been known to travel about 70 km in a night. Their temperatures can rise to 113F without ill effects and no valuable water is wasted by sweating or panting. Before becoming extinct in the wild, they were preyed upon by Striped Hyenas, Arabian Wolves, Lions and Bedouins. The Arabian oryx is also the namesake of several businesses on the Arabian peninsula, notably Al Maha Airways and Al Maha Petroleum. The Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx, is extinct in nature, but was restricted to a small portion of eastern Saudi Arabia. Males are more solitary than females and will stake out expansive territories for their own. Overall, currently Arabian oryx are classified as Vulnerable (VU) but their numbers today remain stable. Use information from the image. These adaptations allow the animal to remain at a comfortable temperature in its habitat.