The wild addax antelope (Addax nasomaculatus) is perhaps the loneliest mammal on the planet. These majestic, snow-white (in summer) antelope once roamed in abundance across North Africa but poaching and industrialisation pushed the wild population to the brink of extinction.

Why are addax antelopes endangered?

Conservation status

While hunting and removal of live addaxes is illegal in Niger, the animals have suffered "massive disturbance" from oil installations operated by the China National Petroleum Corporation, the report said. Also, soldiers assigned to protect the oil wells have been hunting and poaching addaxes.

Why is the addax population decreasing?

Oil operations in Niger, chiefly those of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), have decimated the addax population, the IUCN said, mostly due to poaching by the military personnel hired to protect CNPC's operations.

What are the threats to the addax?

The greatest threat to Addax is a man as locals hunt them without any limits or supervision. Addax are slow moving animals so they are easy targets for hunters in their jeeps armed with modern weaponry. Their habitats are often being destroyed to make more for more farming or residential land.

How can we save the addax?

The measures proposed by the experts from the conservation groups include securing the remaining population of addax; stopping poaching by soldiers and engaging with CNPC to cooperate on preventing the extinction of the addax; as well as reinforcing the existing population through the introduction of captive-bred stock ...

13 Endangered Addax Facts

26 related questions found

What endangered animals live in the desert?

Amargosa voles, Peninsular bighorn sheep and desert pupfish are three of the endangered species.

Why is the addax important?

These antelope have been hunted for their valuable meat and skin. ... Antelope are important to habitats as grazers and browsers. They are also important as prey for carnivores. Addax reintroductions to a park in Tunisia have been successful as well as reintroductions to Niger.

What is the difference between a addax and antelope?

As nouns the difference between antelope and addax

is that antelope is any of several african mammals of the family bovidae distinguished by hollow horns, which, unlike deer, they do not shed while addax is a large african antelope (addax nasomaculatus ), with long horns, that lives in the desert.

Is antelope globally extinct?

A quarter of all antelope species are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The results, compiled by the Antelope Specialist Group of IUCN's Species Survival Commission, show that out of 91 species of antelope, 25 are threatened with extinction.

What is the most endangered species in the Sahara desert?

Today, the addax, a nomadic desert-living species, is the most threatened ungulate in the Sahara and quite possibly the world, and is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

How many addax are left in the wild?

The addax desert antelope may be the world's rarest hoofed mammal, with as few as 100 animals left in the wild.

What is globally extinct?

Global extinction is defined as "the ubiquitous disappearance of a species". Local extinction is characterized by "the disappearance of a species from part of its natural range".

What kind of animals is the Addax?

addax, (Addax nasomaculatus), the most desert-adapted African antelope, formerly found throughout most of the Sahara but nearly exterminated in the wild in the last quarter of the 20th century by poaching from motorized vehicles. The addax's most striking feature is its long spiral horns.

What adaptations do addax antelope have?

Addax antelopes have adaptations to help them survive in the desert, like splayed hooves to help them walk in the sand and the ability to get all the water they need from the grasses they eat.

How high can a Addax jump?

They can jump more than 30 feet in distance and 8 feet high. Their horns can reach up to 35 inches in length and average about 165 lbs. This animal stands about 3 1/2 feet tall at the shoulders and weighs between 30-50 lbs.

What do you know about Addax?

The addax is a critically endangered species of antelope, as classified by the IUCN. Although extremely rare in its native habitat due to unregulated hunting, it is quite common in captivity. The addax was once abundant in North Africa; however it is currently only native to Chad, Mauritania, and Niger.

What adaptations do pronghorns have?

Pronghorn have great adaptations for spotting and getting away from predators such as wolves, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and golden eagles. Pronghorn have large eyes to help them see predators. Scent communication allows them to mark territories and warn others of danger.

Is the addax a keystone species?

Keystone species like the Addax and the Dama Gazelle are essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, ecological processes and productivity in desert ecosystems. Wildlife's role in the livelihoods of desert dwellers can be significant if managed properly.

Why is the desert endangered?

The Sahara Desert covers the northern regions of Africa, stretching across 13 countries, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. However, due to human encroachment, hunting, drought and loss of habitat, several species are on the brink of extinction. ...

How is the desert endangered?

Global warming is increasing the incidence of drought, which dries up water holes. Higher temperatures may produce an increasing number of wildfires that alter desert landscapes by eliminating slow-growing trees and shrubs and replacing them with fast-growing grasses.

How are antelopes adapted to avoid predators?

Antelopes use horns for fight against other antelopes during mating season and to protect themselves, or the herd, from the predators. ... They live in the large groups called herds. Antelopes have extremely developed senses which help them detect predators while they still have time to escape.

What does an addax look like?

The addax is a sandy to almost white color during the summer, darkening to a grayish brown in the winter. White markings are present on the face, ears, belly, hips, and legs, and there is a black tuft of hair on the forehead. Horns are present on both males and females, average about 72 cm in length.