Scientific Name：Oryx dammah

Author:Larry Clingerman

Category：Mammals

Year：Undated

Size:Length:135 x Width:29 x Height:119 (cm)

Introduction：Both male and female scimitar oryx have spiral horns which can grow up to 100cm long. The face is white, long and thin, while the nose is black. It has large eyes, long ears and short light-brown hair on its back. An adult is usually around 130cm tall at the shoulders and can weigh up to 100kg.

The scimitar oryx usually lives in herds of 20 to 40 individuals, guided by one bull. When migrating or when water sources are plentiful, a herd can contain as many as 1000 members. Large, spreading hooves make them well-adapted for walking in the desert. They can also run very fast. The scimitar oryx is active during daytime, foraging for grass, bushes and succulent plants.

By 1999, the scimitar oryx was thought to have been extinct in the wild due to major climatic changes that caused the expansion of the Sahara, but they were actually hunted to extinction for its horns.

Accession number:0007626