Beisa Oryx
Oryx beisa
A grey desert antelope with bold black facial markings and long straight horns.
| Scientific name | Oryx beisa |
|---|---|
| Swahili name | Choroa |
| Conservation status | Endangered |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | Bovidae |
| Size | Shoulder height about 100-120 cm, weight about 100-190 kg; both sexes bear horns |
How to identify
Greyish-fawn body with black facial markings running from eye to muzzle and forehead; a black band along the lower flank; both sexes have long, straight horns; small tufts on the ear tips
Habitat
Semi-desert, arid grassland and thornbush
Diet
Mainly a grazer, also eating leaves, roots and wild melons; can survive long periods without water
When it is active
Active at dawn and dusk, resting in shade during the heat of the day
Where it lives
The Horn of Africa, including northern Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia
How to spot it
Look on the arid plains of northern Kenya, often in small herds; the bold black-and-white face mask and long straight horns are easy to identify
Photography tips
Use the arid plains or blue sky as backdrop to highlight the face mask and long straight horns; a side-on composition emphasises the straight horn lines
Threats
Poaching, habitat loss, drought and competition with livestock for resources
Similar species
Fringe-eared oryx (very similar but with prominent black ear-tip tufts); gemsbok (southern Africa, with broader flank markings)
