Tree Hugging Family - Living Green

Hug This Animal: Scimitar Oryx

by Peggy on March 14th, 2008

The Scimitar-Horned Oryx (or just Scimitar Oryx) is considered extinct in the wild by the IUCN Red List, but there have been unsubstantiated reports of them in Niger and Chad. These animals once lived in the deserts of Egypt, Senegal and Chad. They are one of three species of oryx.

So, can you still hug this animal?

Yes! Zoos and wildlife centers have been breeding the Scimitar Oryx so that it can be reintroduced in the wild. The first stage of reintroductions of the oryx occurred in February 2007 in Tunisia, located in northern Africa.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center is one group working on reintroducing this animal in Tunisia. Read the press release here.

This beautiful creature that can go without water for weeks was hunted to extinction for its lovely horns. Loss of habitat to humans was also a factor. Tunisia’s government will protect the newly released oryx.

According to the National Zoo, the Scimitar Oryx has an interesting way of coping with lack of water. They can raise their body temperature up to 116 F to avoid sweating! Wow, an animal that can avoid sweating. We really need to hang on to it!

While zoos and similar institutions sometimes draw criticism for holding animals captive, the story of the Scimitar Oryx shows how valuable such institutions can be to international efforts to prevent total extinction of some endangered species.

Ways to Help

•Support some of the places working hard to conserve the Scimitar Oryx: The National Zoo and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

•Read more about oryx conservation efforts at the National Zoo.

•Take an extra gaze as this elegant creature on your next zoo visit, and spread the word about how it is being reintroduced in the wild.

Oryx head and whole oryx photos from flickr.

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