ADDAX
QUICK FACTS
Scientific Name
Addax nasomaculatus
Species Survival Plan
Yes
Habitat
Desert
Predators
Man
Food
Desert grasses, shrubs
Originally Native To
Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Western Sahara
Height
42 inches at shoulder
Weight
Male 250 lb.
Female 200 lb.
Characteristics
Antelope with spiraling horns up to 3 feet in length on both sexes; white X-shaped facial blaze; dark “toupee”
Gestation Period
8.5 - 9 months
Offspring
1 calf
Birth Season
February - May
Lifespan
Wild ?
Captivity 20 years
Social Behavior
Nomadic groups of 2 - 20 led by dominant male
ABOUT THE ADDAX
There are less than 100 addax in the wild. Formerly ranging over the entire Sahara Desert of Africa, four-wheel drive access to the desert and hunting with modern weapons has nearly eradicated the species. Other contributing factors are prolonged droughts and regional wars. They are now restricted to isolated populations in Niger, Chad and Mauritania, as they suffer from poaching and disturbance due to oil exploration.
This sturdy antelope is highly adapted to desert living. Addax have shorter legs than most antelope, which give them a low center of gravity and keep them steady – even on shifting desert sands. Their hooves are broad and rounded for sandy terrain.
The summer coat of addax is white to reflect the sun’s heat, while their winter coat of darker tan absorbs the sun’s heat. They are nomadic, following the infrequent rains, and travel considerable distances in search of food.
Wild addax are principally nocturnal and do most of their eating in the evening, while resting during the heat of the day. An addax can obtain all of its water from the plants it eats and by collecting dew off of the plants.
In the mid-1980s, captive-bred addax from the Hanover Zoo in Germany were reintroduced to a park in Tunisia. Being a founding member of the SSP (Species Survival Plan) for addax, Fossil Rim contributed animals in 2007 to the release program and completed extensive behavioral and DNA research projects that should benefit both captive and wild addax.
Fossil Rim had produced more than 600 addax as of 2016. Adults are easily spotted in the pasture by their corkscrew horns and characteristic dark toupees.
MEET THE NEIGHBORS
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ANYTHING YOU GIVE HELPS THE ANIMALS
As a private nonprofit corporation, Fossil Rim does not receive national or state government support. Every cent spent or donated here goes in some way, directly or indirectly, toward the care of our animals.