Addax

Conservation Status:
CITES Appendix 1
SSP

Description:
Addax stand about 3 ½ feet tall at the shoulders and weigh about 295 pounds.  They have spiraling horns that can reach lengths of 3 feet.  Their coat color varies seasonally from white to pale gray or tan.  Some have a white “X” across the face.  They have a long tail with a black tuft of hair at the tip.  Their hooves have very wide bases that allow them to walk on soft sand.

Range:
Sahara Desert in northern Africa

Habitat:
Desert

Diet:
In the wild, they eat various grasses and shrubs.  In the zoo, they eat ADF-16 cubes, alfalfa hay, prairie hay, and soybean meal.

Life Cycle:
Gestation is thought to be 9 months, and a single offspring is born.  Most births happen in the winter or early spring.  The young nurse from the mother for up to 6 months.  Males are mature at 2 years, and females at 2-3 years.  They can live up to 25 years in captivity.

Did You Know?

·        Addax are extremely well adapted for life in the desert.  They survive by finding small pockets of vegetation growing after rare rainfalls.  They travel long distances to find food, and sometimes survive for weeks or even months without drinking water.

·        Although addax are warm-blooded animals, their body temperature can increase by several degrees during the heat of the day.  They do not need to sweat as much to maintain their higher body temperature, so they can conserve water and survive longer periods of time without drinking.

·        They are active from dusk to sunrise, taking advantage of the cooler temperatures.

·        The main threats to addax populations are drought, hunting, and disturbance by tourists.  They also live in a perpetual war zone, and soldiers have used them for target practice.

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