The Arabian Oryx is one of the most giant desert mammals found in the Arab region. It is a medium-sized antelope that is native to the Arabian Peninsula. It adapts to the harsh desert environment. You can find the animal in arid plains as well as deserts. It has even been found in rocky hillsides and thick brush. The Interesting Facts About Oryx: It is also a Qatar National Animal as well.
The following are five Arabian Oryx facts:
Where is Arabian Oryx found?
The Arabian Oryx habitat includes deserts as well as arid plains of Arabia. This is where temperatures are able to reach 50°C. They are, therefore, able to survive in harsh conditions.
The animal is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. It actually became extinct in the wild and then was saved by zoos and private reserves. It was then reintroduced to the wild in 1980. Now, wild populations of it are present in different countries.
Interesting Facts About Oryx Lifestyle
The Interesting Facts About Oryx tend to be gregarious animals and often form herds that are of 5 to 30. When conditions are poor, the groups often include only males, with some females and their young.
Some males live a solitary life. They hold large territories. In the herd, a dominance hierarchy is made by displays of posturing. They avoid severe injury with their long and sharp horns. The animals seem to detect rainfall from some distance away. They live a lifestyle similar to a nomadic one.
Fact About Oryx Diet
Arabian Oryx are herbivores. They eat grass along with herbs and roots, plus tubers. They are able to remain without drinking water for a time. Their diet is an herbivore one.
Fact About Oryx Mating
In the Interesting Facts About Oryx habitat, it can be seen that the animal’s mating behavior is polygyny. Therefore, one male mates with more than one female during a single mating season. The timing of the births will vary.
They mate any time of the year. The pregnancy duration is 240 days. They are able to carry one calf. The female name is Doe, the male name is Buck, and the baby’s name is Calf.
When conditions tend to be favorable, the female can produce one calf a year and that in any month. The young get weaned by the age of around 3.5-4.5 months. The females in captivity will first give birth at the age of 2.5-3.5 years old.
Oryx smells the rain from a distance.
The Arabian Oryx can smell rain in the distance. At the time that the scent of rain gets carried on the wind, it is the head female Oryx that will lead the herd to find fresh grasses, which the rainfall will have led to sprouting.
The above are some interesting Arabian Oryx facts about the National Animal of Qatar. The animal is one of tremendous stamina that covers vast distances by foot in the desert. The animal is said to be one of beauty.
