Antelope Addax

  • Common name: ANTELOPE ADDAX

    Scientific nameAddax nasomaculatus

    Class: Mammals

    Order: Artiodactyla

    Family: Bovidae

    Origin: Niger, Chad, Nord Africa

    Diet: shrubs, bushes or desert herbs

    Habitat: arid and semi-arid land of Sahel and Sahara Desert

    Reproduction: pregnancy lenght of 257-270 days. One calf for childbirth; uncommon twin births

  • The addax is an antelope native to the arid/semi-arid area of Sahel and Sahara Desert. It a species strictly related to the Oryx, but this antelope is the only member of Addax genus. They are a medium size antelope with iconic long screw horns, present in both males and females. The colour of the coat depends on seasons; in the winter coat is greyish and longer, while change in short and white during the warm seasons. Addax are adapted to life in arid land, where they feed on shrubs, bushes or desert herbs; this species also manages to live without water for a long time. Addax claws are very wide and work like snowshoes, useful for walking on sandy soils without sinking. Their gait is very slow and for this reason they are easy prey for predators or hunters. They form herds of 5-20 individuals, which are always led by the dominant female. Fewer than 500 individuals currently live free in nature, most of them are located in rare isolated areas of Chad and Niger; for this reason, the addax is considered to be at a Critically Endangered. Anyway, the addax is one of the few species that has been successfully reintroduced in its origin home-range, thanks to the captive breeding programs successfully completed in Zoos.

IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature) provides information on the conservation status of animals and plants. ( www.iucnredlist.org )