The beisa oryx, have a grey coat with a white underside, separated from the grey by a
stripe of black; there are also black stripes where the head attaches to the
neck, along the nose and from the eye to the mouth and on the forehead.
It is a
true desert animal, with long, spear-like horns, thick, horse-like neck with a
short mane and a compact, muscular body. The ringed horns are thin and straight
which are found on both sexes and typically a measure of 75–80 cm. The
dominance hierarchy among oryx is based on age and size.
Like the other
antelopes the oryx feeds in early morning and late afternoon. Their diet mainly
consists of coarse grasses and browse from thorny shrubs. In desert areas they
consume thick leaved plants, wild melons, and roots and tubers they dig out of
the ground. With Some plants increasing their water content by 25 to 40
percent, so when oryx feed late at night or early in the morning, they maximize
both food and water sources. They are able to store water by raising their body
temperature. oryx are hunted for their meat and hide and in many
cultures, the horns of the oryx are sought after as charms; even in medieval
England they were marketed as unicorn horns. Also lions, hunting dogs, hyenas
and leopards. The oryx is a good example
of an antelope that has successfully adapted to the harsh conditions of
dispersed food, intense heat and little or no water. The female comes into heat
soon after giving birth. The more frequent estrus cycles enable females to
produce calves at 9-month intervals.
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