Arabian Oryx: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Mountains and Deserts · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. Seen from the side, an oryx can look like it has one horn. Some think this helped start the legend of the unicorn.
2. Oryx can sense rain falling far away, then head that way to feast on the fresh plants that sprout.
3. To save water, the oryx lets its body heat up during the hot day instead of cooling off, then the cold night brings it back down.
4. Its coat is an almost glowing white, with brown legs and black stripes across the face.
5. With such long, sharp horns, oryx settle who is boss mostly by showing off and posing, which avoids serious injuries.

The quiz

1. Which legend may the oryx have helped inspire?

• The dragon
• The griffin
• The phoenix
• The unicorn (correct)

From some angles, the oryx seems to have just one horn.

2. How do oryx find fresh plants in the desert?

• They dig deep wells
• They sense distant rain and follow it (correct)
• They follow camel caravans
• They eat only at oases

They detect rainfall from far off and go where new plants grow.

3. How does the oryx save water on hot days?

• It lets its body temperature rise (correct)
• It sweats a lot
• It swims in salt lakes
• It pants all day long

Letting its body warm up means less water is lost to cooling.

4. What colour is most of the Arabian oryx's coat?

• Reddish orange
• Dark grey
• Almost glowing white (correct)
• Black with stripes

Its coat is an almost luminous white, which is why it is also called the white oryx.

5. What was special about the Arabian oryx in 2011?

• It was declared extinct
• It was first seen in Europe
• It was named Pakistan's national animal
• It was the first animal to go from extinct in the wild to Vulnerable (correct)

Thanks to reintroductions, it was the first animal ever to make that comeback.

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