One of the 4 oryxes on WAnimals
Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae
Arabian Oryx
Oryx leucoryx
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
The Arabian oryx is the smallest of the oryxes and one of the best desert-adapted antelopes. It is almost white, which reflects the sun's radiation, with black markings on the face and legs, and two long straight horns. It can go weeks without drinking, taking moisture from plants and dew, and it detects rain tens of kilometres away. It became extinct in the wild in 1972 and is the subject of one of the most cited recovery stories in world conservation.
Weight
65 kg – 75 kg
Size
1.5 m – 2.4 m
Life expectancy
20 years
