| Oryx | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A malegemsbok (Oryx gazella) atEtosha National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
| 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 beisaRüppell, 1835 | |
Oryx (/ˈɒrɪks/ORR-iks) is agenus consisting of four largeantelope species calledoryxes. Theirpelage is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight and annulated.[2] The exception is thescimitar oryx, which lacks dark markings on the legs, only has faint dark markings on the head, has anochre neck, and has horns that are clearly decurved. All oryx species prefer near-desert conditions and can survive without water for long periods.
TheArabian oryx was only saved from extinction through acaptive-breeding program andreintroduction to the wild.[3] Thescimitar oryx, which was listed asextinct in the wild, also relied on a captive-breeding program for its survival.[4]
The term "oryx" comes from theGreek wordὄρυξóryx meaning "pickaxe", because its long and pointed horns look similar to the tool's end.[5] The Greek plural form isὄρυγεςóryges, although "oryxes" has been established in English.Herodotus mentions a type ofgazelle in Libya called ὄρυς,orus, probably related to the verb ὀρύσσω,orussō, or ὀρύττω,oruttō,[6] meaning "to dig". White oryxes are known to dig holes in the sand.[citation needed]
TheArabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx, Arabic: المها), became extinct in the wild in 1972 in theArabian Peninsula. It wasreintroduced in 1982 inOman, butpoaching has reduced its numbers there. One of the largest populations of Arabian oryxes exists onSir Bani Yas Island in theUnited Arab Emirates. Additional populations have been reintroduced inQatar,Bahrain,Israel,Jordan, andSaudi Arabia. As of 2011, the total wild population is over 1,000, and 6,000–7,000 are being held in captivity. In 2011, theIUCN downgraded its threat category fromextinct in the wild tovulnerable, the first species to have changed back in this way.[3][7][8]
Thescimitar oryx, also called thescimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), ofNorth Africa used to be listed as extinct in the wild, but it is now declared as endangered. Unconfirmed surviving populations have been reported in centralNiger andChad, and a semi-wild population currently inhabiting a fenced nature reserve inTunisia is being expanded for reintroduction to the wild in that country.[9] Several thousand are held in captivity around the world.[4]
TheEast African oryx (Oryx beisa) inhabitseastern Africa and the closely relatedgemsbok (Oryx gazella) inhabitssouthern Africa. The gemsbok ismonotypic and the East African oryx has two subspecies; thecommon beisa oryx (O. b. beisa) and thefringe-eared oryx (O. b. callotis). In the past, both were considered subspecies of the gemsbok. The East African oryx is an endangered species,[10] whereas the gemsbok is not.[11]
Gemsbok were introduced inNew Mexico by the Department of Game and Fish in the late 1960s and early 1970s as an experiment in offering a unique hunting opportunity to New Mexico residents. Between 1969 and 1973, 95 oryx were released ontoWhite Sands Missile Range. White Sands Missile Range, located between the cities ofAlbuquerque, NM andEl Paso, TX, is a 3,200 square mile US Army facility which also hosts White Sands National Park. Researchers believed that the population would never grow beyond 500 to 600 and would remain within the Tularosa Basin. However, the animals proved to be extremely opportunistic, and quickly spread into the San Andres Mountains to the north and west of Tularosa Basin.
At one time, numbers of oryx in New Mexico were estimated to be around 6,000 (original release numbers were less than 100). Today, numbers have been held around the 2,000 mark through managed hunting efforts. The success of the oryx in New Mexico is due in part to the abundance of food. In Africa, they eat grasses, forbs, and melons. In New Mexico, they feed on desert grasses, yucca, buffalo gourds, and mesquite bean pods. They are especially adapted to desert life and can go a long time without drinking water. This area also lacks a way to control the population. 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.[12][13][14][15]
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They live in herds of up to 600 animals. Newborn calves are able to run with the herd immediately after birth. Both males and females possess permanent horns. The horns are narrow and straight except in the scimitar oryx, where they curve backwards like ascimitar. The horns can be lethal: oryxes have been known to kill lions with them, and they are thus sometimes calledsabre antelopes (not to be confused with thesable antelope). The horns also make the animals a prizedgame trophy, which has led to the near-extinction of the two northern species.
Between 1969 and 1977, theNew Mexico Department of Game and Fish in the US intentionally released 95 gemsbok into its state'sWhite Sands Missile Range[16] and that population is now estimated between 3,000 and 6,000 animals.[17] Within the state of New Mexico, oryxes are classified as "big game" and can be hunted.[citation needed]
The oryx is the national animal ofNamibia andQatar. Qatar's airline companyQatar Airways has an oryx as its logo.[18][19]
The main boss of the MMO gameRealm of the Mad God is Oryx the Mad God, named after the creator of the original sprite sheets, Oryx. His four direct subordinates also bear the names of four South African species of oryx.
Oryxes appear briefly, along with many other species of animal, in theTalk Talk music videoIt's My Life.
In the video gameTom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, a playable defending operator nicknamed Oryx was introduced in Year 5 Season 1. His ability is called "Remah Dash," where he can charge to break holes in walls and knock down enemies.
Oryx is a nickname for a character inMargaret Atwood's bookOryx and Crake.
Oryx is also the main antagonist's name in the video gameDestiny: The Taken King, a god who seeks vengeance on the player, known as a Guardian, after they killed his son Crota. He is killed by the player in the raid "King's Fall". He is portrayed as "Oryx, the Taken King".
The Oryx is mentioned inPliny'sNatural History, in which he writes, "There is a wild beast, named by the Egyptians Oryx, which, when the star [Sirius] rises, is said to stand opposite to it, to look steadfastly at it, and then to sneeze, as if it were worshiping it."[20]
In the 1994 film and 2019 remake ofThe Lion King andThe Lion King II: Simba's Pride, the two species of oryxes inHell's Gate National Park are the East African oryx and gemsbok.
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