Addax

Facts

IUCN CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)

Facts about this animal

Addax were once common to the deserts of North Africa inhabiting the large sand dune systems to hard packed desert terrain. Before they were extirpated from most of their original range, they lived in family groups of up to 15 animals.
Addax are primarily grazers, feeding upon perennial grasses, but will browse on the tender young shoots of shrubs and trees. They can go for long periods of time without drinking water, deriving their moisture requirement from the plants they eat.

Adapted to their arid habitat, they have a white, reflective coat that turns dark grey-brown in the winter.

The gestation period is between 242-270 days. At birth, calves weigh between 5-6 kg and are quickly capable of walking. Both male and female calves are born with horns formed primarily as scutes. The horn length of the adult animals is quoted 55-80 cm for females and 60-109 cm for bucks. The horns have 1,5 to 3 convolutions

Did you know?
that addax can go for months without open water, and can even go without water for years by just eating plants and the moisture they contain? Their nasal passage acts as an evaporative cooler, cooling the arterial blood as it flows through the nasal membrane before reaching the brain, thus protecting the brain from overheating. Addax can also let their body temperature rise during the day and reduce it during the cool the night without water loss.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	BOVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Addax nasomaculatus
Name (English)	Addax
Name (French)	Addax
Name (German)	Mendesantilope
Name (Spanish)	Addax
Local names	Agas, addas (Arabic)
CITES Status	Appendix I
CMS Status	Appendix I Sahelo-Saharan Antelope Action Plan

Photo Copyright by
Tim Vickers

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Former Range: Northern Africa; endemic to the Sahelo-Saharan Region west of the Nile Valley. Current Range: A few sparsely inhabited areas of Niger and Tchad. Reintroduced back to Tunisia and Morocco.
Habitat	Sand to stony desert habitats; the most desert adapted of the antelopes.
Wild population	Less than 3000 (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	International Studbook (WAZA) established in 1989 and is by Terrie Correll at The Living Desert. European Studbook first edited 1992 and is held by Heiner Engel at Hannover Zoo. Australian Studbook is held by Kylie Lihou at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Japanese Studbook is held by Kazuo Okuda at the Himeji Central Park Zoo. Regional zoo programmes: ASMP (ARAZPA), EEP (EAZA) and SSP (AZA).

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Dezidor

Why do zoos keep this animal

Zoos usually keep addax in large natural looking enclosures. Their white coat and large, corkscrew shaped horns are impressive to visitors. Addax are one of the rarest and most endangered mammalian species. Zoos maintain addax in breeding programmes to raise awareness of their plight and for ongoing reintroduction and protection projects in the wild.

How this animal should be kept

Addax should be housed in social groups of one adult male and several females with their offspring. An outdoor enclosure of at least 800 m² is required and should be enlarged by 80 m² for each additional adult.

The enclosure should be well designed using contouring and rocks, trees and tree roots for landscaping. Frequently used areas, such as the entrance to the stable, should be paved. The substrate in the enclosure should be layered and constructed for water permeable hard packed surfaces. Horned animals can be aggressive in some confined spaces, so it is vital they be stabled separately. Indoor stabling should be dry and free of drafts, and heated to 14-16 degrees Celsius during the winter.

Addax are grazers, eating vegetation of low protein. Therefore, it is important they have continuous access to good quality hay. Supplementing their diet with concentrates should be limited to very small doses. The animals are happy to eat soft wood twigs with or without leaves at any time of the year.