Saber Antelope: A Resident Of North Africa
Today we would like to tell you about a very special being, the saber antelope. In our article we explain more about this graceful animal and also why it is considered extinct in the wild.
What does the saber antelope look like?
The genus of the oryx consists of various horned antelope. Four different species are known, but one of them is considered to be particularly charming: the saber antelope (Oryx dammah).
They are robust animals that weigh around 140 to 200 kg. Their limbs are quite short and end in broad claws. The fur is mostly white in color, but reddish on the legs, neck and parts of the chest.
The really most impressive body part of these animals, however, is the horns.
A pair of imposing horns
Both males and females have a pair of impressive, small horns. They can be up to three feet long and as they grow they begin to bend backwards.
They got their name because of their horns, because their shape reminds us a little of oriental sabers.
When it comes to territorial or hierarchical issues, the animals use these sabers to face the dispute. However, the fighters hit each other with their horns in parallel, so that injuries seldom occur.
Habitat and nutrition
Before their extinction, the saber antelopes lived in the dry grasslands in northern Africa and even migrated into the Sahara for some time.
It is believed that the ancient Egyptian peoples domesticated the saber antelope to feed on their flesh.
Their diet consists of sweet grasses and various bushes. Like other desert animals, they are used to doing without water for long periods of time. They deprive fruits and succulents of their fluids.
Why is the saber antelope no longer in the wild?
One of the reasons for this is that they were exterminated through excessive hunting. Because of their beautiful horns, the animals have fallen victim to poachers in recent decades.
But the loss and decay of their habitat also contributed to their disappearance. Humans took over their habitat, which is why there was cattle breeding and forage competition with other domesticated animals. As a result, the numbers of the saber antelope population continued to decline.
In 1985 only 500 specimens of this magnificent animal were counted. Since 2000 there has been no more solid evidence that the saber antelope still lives in the wild.
To avoid the complete extinction of this species, countries like Senegal and Tunisia have set up breeding programs in captivity. Slowly one begins to reintroduce these animals in pairs to try to save the animal species.
