Mammals · Bovidae
Addax
Addax nasomaculatus
Critically Endangered
The Addax, also known as the screwhorn antelope, is a critically endangered species of antelope that lives in the Sahara desert. This pale antelope has long, twisted horns and is closely related to the oryx, but differs by having large square teeth like cattle and lacking the typical facial glands.
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Addax
Species: nasomaculatus
Other names: Screwhorn Antelope, African Antelope
Size
Stand 3 ft. at the shoulder; 3.6–4.3 ft. in length; weigh 132 to 264 lbs. Males slightly larger than females. Horns can reach 3–4 ft. in length.
Habitat
Desert or scrub grasslands in Niger and Chad on the African continent.
Description
Coat color changes with the seasons — dark grayish-brown in winter to white in summer. Long spindly spiral horns, 3–4 ft. in length.
Behavior
Mostly nocturnal, resting throughout the day.
Diet
Desert succulents, grasses, herbs, bark, wood and leaves on bushes.
Gestation
257 to 264 days.
Birth
Newborns weigh approximately 11 lbs. at birth.
Sexually Mature
Females between 2–3 years; males around age 2.
Life Span
Up to 20 years in the wild, up to 25 in captivity. Lions, leopards and hyenas are natural predators.
Social Structure
Gather in herds of 4–25 members, led by a dominant male.
Conservation Status
Fewer than 500 wild addax remain; habitat encroachment is the biggest threat.
Did You Know?
The addax is the rarest species of antelope in the world.
Did You Know?
It is believed the name Addax comes from an Arabic word meaning a wild animal with crooked horns.
Addax in Foreign Languages
Irishadacs
Latinpygargus
