About Addax Antelopes
The Addax (Addax Nasomaculatus) is a critically endangered desert antelope that lives in several isolated regions in the Sahara desert.
In ancient times, Addax spread from Northern Africa through Arabia and Israel. Pictures from Egyptian tombs show them being kept as domesticated animals in around 2 500 BC. More recently, Addax were found from Algeria to Sudan but due to several reasons, they have become much more restricted and rare. The population became critically endangered from both destruction of their habitat for commercial projects and hunting for horns or use as leather. Since the Addax are slow by comparison with other antelopes, and are known to ride themselves to death, they have been an easy target for mounted hunters.
Addax are amply suited to live in the deep desert under extreme conditions. Their hooves are broad with flat soles and strong dewclaws to help them walk on soft sand. Their coat changes with the season an in summer can be completely white or sandy blonde and in winter, grayish brown with white hind quarters and legs. Addax can survive without free water almost indefinitely because they get moisture from their food and dew that condenses on plants. Addax are able to live far apart, because of their overdeveloped sensory powers that allow them to locate each other at great distances.
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Addax have strong social structures, probably based on age, and herds are led by the oldest male. Herds are more likely to be found along the northern edge of the tropical rain system during the summer and move north as winter falls. Addax are able to track rainfall and will head for these areas where vegetation is more plentiful.
Conservation :
The Israeli Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve is breeding Addax in the Arava desert for possible release in the Negev desert, although this is outside their natural range.
One of the biggest captive breeding herds for Addax exists at the Hanover Zoo, Germany . They are raised there and some groups have been sent to fenced areas in Morocco and Tunisia, from where it is hoped they will be reintroduced into the wild.
Extracts from Wikipedia, Jan 2009.
