Beisa Oryx

The East African oryx, also known as the beisa, is a species of medium-sized antelope from East Africa. Oryx beisa [Rüppell, 1835]. Type locality: Red Sea coast west of Massawa, Eritrea. Body Length: 160-190 cm / 5.3-6.3 ft. Shoulder Height: 110-120 cm / 3.6-4 ft. They typically feed in early morning and late afternoon, feasting mainly on coarse grasses and thorny shrubs. In desert areas, they consume thick-leaved plants, wild melons, and roots and tubers they dig out of the ground. Lions and other natural predators cull the population in Africa, with only 10% of calves reaching one year of age. In New Mexico, predators like coyotes and mountain lions are not effective at controlling numbers, allowing the oryx to reproduce without restriction.

Scientific name: Oryx beisa

Conservation status: Near Threatened (Population decreasing)

Mass: 170 lbs (Adult)

Higher classification: Oryx

Family: Bovidae

Kingdom: Animalia

Distribution:

The common beisa oryx once inhabited a large region of northeastern Africa, from Sudan down to Tanzania, but it has been going extinct rapidly. Now they mostly remain in Ethiopia and northern Kenya. In 1959, a boundary change in the Serengeti National Park excluded the area inhabited by the common beisa oryx. Recent observations (1974–1975) show that oryx are still only visitors to the Serengeti National Park, but there are indications that they may become resident in the future. Common beisa oryx stay in bushland and grassland areas. During the wet season, they move to high ground and avoid tall grass and saturated areas. They move great distances to find a perfect location and stay there for a few seasons.