Effective cooperation with the wildlife authorities and sensitive practices in protecting protected areas is essential. There is an urgent need for coordinated action at all levels otherwise, we may witness their demise. In conclusion, the level of disturbance and illegal killing of these white antelopes place them closer to extinction. Without immediate intervention, Addax will lose its battle for survival in the face of illegal, unrestricted poaching and the loss of its habitat. For example, in 2012, the Niger Republic opened the Termit & Tin Toumma National Nature Reserve to protect the Addax and other wildlife. Factors like droughts and desertification of savanna lands have also contributed to the reduction in their populations.Ĭurrently, conservation groups like the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Sahara Conservation Fund are working with Niger Republic’s government to save these species. Other activities like regional insecurity and the oil industry activities have wiped out large populations of this animal. They are also often chased and this predisposes them to death by exhaustion. They are an easy catch for humans with modern weapons because they are broadly-built slow-running antelopes. Hunting (by both residents and tourists) has greatly contributed to the reduction and elimination of Addax Antelope populations in their habitat. The greatest threat to Addax is man, who hunts them without limits or supervision. They only pass out waste products in dry feces and concentrated urine because they utilize every bit of water they feed on. This is also useful in helping them avoid predators.Īddaxes are herbivores feeding on grasses and leaves of desert plants while obtaining water from their food and dew. Addaxes are not nocturnal but during the hottest times of the year, they will sleep during the day and forage at night. The herd leader is usually the oldest female and she often leads the herd to the places with the best vegetation. Males are very territorial and take up the task of safeguarding the females. Addaxes are social animals that live in nomadic herds with bout 5- 20 members constituting each herd. They are native to Mauritania, Chad, and Niger but may be seen in other extremely arid conditions and in regions with less than 100 mm of rainfall in a year. Male Addax Antelopes usually weigh between 220 to 300 lbs, while the female weighs about 10-20% percent lighter.Īddax is naturally adapted to the desert’s harsh conditions, can sustain itself without water for indefinite periods, and can survive in stony environments. The horns on both males and females are typically 30 to 43 inches (76 to 109 cm) with 1.5 to 3 spiral twists. There are white markings on their face, ears, belly, hips, and legs, and there is a black tuft of hair on their forehead. Addax has a unique feature of long spiral horns possessed by both the male and female species and hooves that are broad with flat soles, which stop them from sinking into the desert sand.Īccording to World Atlas, Addax Antelopes are characterized by long, twisted horns and pale coat color, which lends it the name of white antelope. IUCN listed the species as critically endangered in the wild in 2010, and surveys have suggested that there are only 200 remaining. They were abundant throughout most of the Sahara, but recently they have been greatly reduced due to extreme hunting and poaching by man. The Addax Antelope is an animal that lives in the Sahara Desert and is popularly known as the “White Antelope”.
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