Oryx
Oryx (/ˈɒrɪks/ ORR-iks) is a genus consisting of four large antelope species called oryxes. Their pelage is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight. The exception is the scimitar oryx, which lacks dark markings on the legs, only has faint dark markings on the head, has an ochre neck, and has horns that are clearly decurved.
| Oryx | |
|---|---|
| A male gemsbok (Oryx gazella) at Etosha National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Hippotraginae |
| Genus: | Oryx de Blainville, 1816 |
| Type species | |
| Antilope oryx Pallas, 1777 | |
| Species | |
|
Oryx beisa Rüppell, 1835 | |
The Arabian oryx was only saved from extinction through a captive-breeding program and reintroduction to the wild. The scimitar oryx, which was listed as extinct in the wild, also relied on a captive-breeding program for its survival.
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