Oryxantelope
Oryxantelope
The Arabian oryx belongs to the subfamily of horse antelopes and is a distinct genus. Its natural habitat is traditionally found in semi-arid and arid landscapes, such as the Arabian Peninsula. Thus, Oman is also part of its natural habitat. In places where the sun shines year-round and it often exceeds 30 degrees even in winter, the Arabian oryx is native.
Characteristic of both sexes are its very light, almost white coat and its spiral, slightly curved horns. The shoulder or body height is about 80-100 cm, while the horn length usually measures 50-70 cm. Another feature is the dark brown and white markings on its head. The weight of the Arabian oryx is usually below 70 kilograms. The light coat color is an adaptation to its natural habitat, as sunlight and the constant shimmer of heat make them hardly visible. Arabian oryxes require very little water. So little that the moisture from morning dew or the fluids obtained from food are sufficient for them. Fluids can also be obtained not only from plants or leaves but also from the coats of other animals. Typically, these antelopes feed on dry shrubs, buds, leaves, and grasses.
Originally, the Arabian oryx lived throughout the Arabian Peninsula all the way to the Sinai Peninsula. However, this habitat was destroyed due to poaching by both foreign and local people. With the advent of all-terrain vehicles, the last wild oryx was killed in 1972. A conservation program was started in the USA a few years earlier. The government under Sultan Qaboos initiated a reintroduction and acclimatization project in the deserts of Oman.
To this day, Arabian oryxes live in the Jiddat al-Harris region in central Oman. Once, the oryx area was added to the UNESCO World Heritage in 1994, but removed in 2007 due to significant reductions in grazing grounds. Even today, poaching still occurs, but the government has undertaken strong protective measures and enclosed a vast area. Currently, more than 300 antelopes reside in the Jiddat al Harris region. They can be observed at the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary Center. Since the antelopes seek shade and rest during the day, it is advisable to visit during morning or evening twilight to see the animals.
Discover Oman with experts who have called it their home
Your dream holiday, tailor-made by experts.
We don't just know Oman from books, we visit the country several times a year to experience the culture, landscape and people first-hand.
From your first enquiry to your return home, we are there for you personally - by phone, email or WhatsApp, whenever you need us. Our trips are as unique as you are: individually planned and provided with exclusive privileges and high-quality arrangements that will make your trip unforgettable.
Experts for your Oman trip
You might also like this
Public transport in Oman
Public transport in Oman differs from that in Germany, for example. There is an extensive bus network only in the capital. Otherwise, public transport mainly consists of taxis, the white vehicles with the taxi sign on the roof. If you want to travel back and forth between cities in Oman, you choose the airplane or the coach. A railway line does not exist at the moment. By taxi through the city There is a phone number to order a taxi only in Muscat. In the other cities in Oman, you literally have to look for a taxi. However, this is not difficult, as they drive around everywhere in the city. ...
Frankincense Oman
It is reported in traditions that camel caravans had to cover more than 100 days' marches to reach their destination Gaza after 3400 kilometers. Frankincense was considered a miraculous remedy of the gods during the times of the Roman Empire and was transported in tonnage. The high demand for frankincense in ritual practices was responsible for the prosperity of the route, as well as the cities and empires it connected, since the 5th century BC....
Geography
The Sultanate of Oman is located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula. To the northwest, the country borders the United Arab Emirates, to the west Saudi Arabia, and to the southwest Yemen. The 1,700-kilometer-long coast in the east forms a natural border. There, Oman borders the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. The total area of the country is 309,000 square kilometers. Thus, the state is just slightly smaller than Germany. The territory includes the exclave Musandam at the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates separate Musandam from the rest of the country. The...