Addax nasomaculatus
The Addax lives in several isolated regions in the Sahara desert. This critically endangered antelope is extremely rare in the wild, but common in captivity. It is estimated that there remain less than 500 individuals in the wild (2007).
During summer the addax coat is white and during winter it is brown. This is one of the few species where both males and females have long horns. In males the twisted horns can reach up to 1.2 meters, in females up to 80 cm. The addax hooves are broad with flat soles and strong claws to help them walk on the soft sand of the dessert.This animal does not drink, but gets all the moisture from the food.
Addax have a strong social structure, probably based on age, and herds are led by the oldest male.
The above picture was taken at the Chicago Brookfield zoo, in August 2004.
Genus Addax
Subfamily Hippotraginae
Family Bovidae
Order Artiodactyla
Subclass Eutheria
Class Mammalia
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
Index