Oryx Antelope - Oryx beisa
These
large African antelopes prefer dry, near-desert conditions and can
survive without water for long periods. The smallest species, the
Arabian oryx, is now almost extinct, and another, the scimitar-horned
oryx of the Sahara is on the endangered list. Oryxes live in herds
of up to 60 animals. Newborn calves are able to run with the herd
immediately after birth. Both males and females possess permanent,
narrow, straight horns. The female’s are slightly longer and
slimmer than the male’s. These horns are quite lethal, and
the oryx has been known to kill lions with them. They are also the
reason this animal is sometimes called the sabre antelope.
|
