Arabian Oryx
Arabian Oryx is the national animal of the UAE Arabian Oryx are known to use their hooves to excavate holes to lie in deeper cooler sand and which then will protect them against sandstorms. They are especially attuned to the desert and have an ability to keep their brains cooler than their blood in extreme heat. The Arabian Oryx able to resist predators such as the Arabian Hyena and the Arabian Leopard due to its horns and aggressive nature towards predators.
Indigenous: Middle East
Horns: 68cm, two symmetrical and ridged
Dietary: Herbivore
Habitat: Open Desert
Breeding Period: All year round, peak in Spring and Autumn
Gender differentiation: Males tuft at the throat. Female’s horns longer and thinner.
Territory: Gregarious (aggregate for food and water).
Males are solitary.
Life Span: 20 years in captivity.
Status: Vulnerable (was classed as extinct in the wild back in 1970).A true legacy to the captive breeding and release programs.