morphology
Arabian oryx (12)
Arabian oryx is oryx genus smallest member of the body, the body length of 160 cm shoulder height 81-102 cm, average weight 90 kg male, average body weight of 80 kg females. Their coat nearly snow white, glossy in the sunlight. Abdomen and legs are brown, between the head and the neck, forehead, nose and eyes to a corner by mouth has black markings. Sheep Sheep have male and female upstanding ringed angle, it can reach up to 68 cm. Females than males angle thinner longer.as a spade foot opening, contact surface area can be large sand, easy to walk. Brown leg, ankle band white, brown markings on his face, a triangular region in the nasal bridge, cheek and forehead. A male throat villi protruding Adam's apple, both sexes are tufted tail end, after half a dark brown to black. Small antelope's tail and legs are brown, six months time to grow into sheep iconic tail.
strong physique; for long-distance running with a leg; 4 foot toe, but is more degraded than the toe side deer, adapted to run; incisors and canines are degradation, but retain the lower incisors, canines at one hundred incisors of three pairs of shovel-shaped incisors were tilted forward, since the relatively hard plants for food, for the premolars and molars crested, wrinkled enamel, the abrading surface of the crown of the tooth profile formed complex, adapted to graze; stomach chamber 4, ruminant functional; adult male and female Jieju hole angle, symmetrical projections derived from the frontal bone sticks out is formed, not bifurcated, hollow interior, the outer sleeve may be detached keratinocytes (sheath angle), set in the bone qualitative angle heart (heart bone), with the growth of bone and the heart is enlarged; no nerves and blood vessels, is removed after the hole angle, the angle can not grow; generally grow to a certain extent it will stop growing and do not replace the angle sheath.
habitats
Arabian oryx and desert grassland habitat in the Arabian Peninsula, tropical habitat in the desert, wilderness areas.
Habits
cluster activities
Arabian oryx cluster of life, a different group of families that contain sex, 5-30 per head of population, more than 100 of family groups have appeared. They are generally less aggressive, it can coexist peacefully GROUPS. Led by an adult male, within the family group of only a simple framework, involving all seven months or more large male sheep and a female sheep. They will maintain visual contact with other members of the family group, will be responsible for the care of other male sheep and peripheral members of the family group of female sheep. Once dispersed, the male sheep will come back to haunt the last place the family group until other members of the back. Young male sheep are living alone. Male and female sheep horn sheep will use its resources to protect the sites, stealing from outsiders.
nocturnal, resting shade summer daytime hiding, trenching will rest on the ground under a tree or shrub, dusk foraging activity. Arabian oryx seem to be able to detect the wind and rain, if the dark clouds somewhere, then they will be separated by hundreds of miles to the gallop awaited rain overnight can migrate 50 km. A self-Arabian oryx predators only wolf.
weathering
Sword Arabian antelope in order to maintain body water, do not sweat to waste water, but the body heat stored, which means that their body temperature will continue to rise, they can withstand high temperature up to 46 degrees, the temperature limit is exceeded only had to take cool. Compared to it, the camel can withstand the temperature 41 degrees. At the same time this also has the benefit that the copy temperatures near body temperature, can reduce air passed to body heat.
However, under such a high temperature, they can still maintain its normal physiological function. When they are sent to the brain by the blood the heart of the carotid artery, through the head of the cavernous sinus, where the carotid artery becomes one hundred small arteries. Many of the cavernous arteries to the heart, from the nasal cavity, wherein when the blood flow through the nasal cavity, heat is exhaled, the temperature of arterial blood than low. This can reduce the body temperature of 3 degrees, when the blood into the brain is cooled, to avoid damage to the most sensitive to brain temperature. And the heat will be gradually released in vivo at night, so that the temperature can be lowered oryx next day to 36 degrees.
their kidneys can be very effective in reducing the moisture in urine, the urine is highly concentrated. However, it's still some water in urine, after all, its droppings also contain a little moisture was scheduled to be out, so, oryx or will lose some of the water, to prevent dehydration, still need to add water. When anhydrous potable, it can only add moisture through food. Oryx eat grass is not much water, containing only 1% of water in the daytime, but at night, with the rise and fall of temperature and humidity, the moisture content of the grass will increase 20-fold. Oryx during the day without eating, eating only at dusk and night, to ensure maximum absorb the moisture in the food.
oryx there is a unique way to get water. Nutrients in food, such as carbohydrates, when the metabolism to produce water. Thus, practically all animals have access to water in this way indirectly. However, this metabolic process requires oxygen to participate, and each breath will take away the body of water. Normally, water breathing loss than water during metabolism, the pay. Oryx there is a way to change the output ratio. This method is actually very simple. In the evening, oryx aside to let body heat stored during the day circulated to start very slowly while breathing deeply. Deep breathing can inhale more oxygen metabolism by creating more moisture, and relatively high humidity at night, by the respiratory water loss is relatively small, way, oryx will be able to take a deep breath through the night so that the body accumulate more water.
food pedigree
food, including grass, leaves, berries, tubers, etc., this animal is extremely drought tolerant, alone licking the morning dew on the plants can live in a healthy 45 at an elevated temperature of -50 ℃.
distribution
Origin: Egypt (Sinai), Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
reintroduction: Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia.
introduction: Bahrain, Qatar.
Reproduction
Arabian oryx mating all year round, but mainly in October to next May, with more than one male and female, between the male reproductive period fight to compete for the right to mate, the females about 8-9 months of pregnancy, only births per 1 Aberdeen, lactation about 3-5 months, cubs live with his mother after a year or so independent, 1-2 years old sexual maturity, life expectancy up to 20 years.
Subspecies
of a single species, subspecies no.
Population status
due to habitat destruction, over-hunting and other human factors, the wild Arabian oryx was extinct in 1962. In the 1950s, countries had to carry out artificial breeding work. Arabia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Jordan, Yemen have established appropriate reserves.
at the beginning of 1982 in Oman began plans to re-introduced in 1982, the United States will be part of the Arabian Peninsula captive individuals returned to wild release, the total number of only 400-600 only to development in Saudi Arabia the number increased from 1997 400-2003 of 700 years, located in Israel's population also increased. In 2007, the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi released a 100 Arabian oryx, the goal is the introduction in 2012 of 500.
Phoenix Zoo also Arabian oryx conservation protection work a force. In 1962, he launched the first program of breeding Arabian oryx. When first started only nine, has been more than 200. These raised sword Arab antelope were sent to other zoos to launch a new family group. By 1990, they have a number of more than 1,300, including feeder 112 is re-sent to the field.
June 28, 2007, the Arab oryx Sanctuary in Oman became the first region to be removed from the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. The reason is that Yin Aman government exploitation of oil, significantly reducing its habitat 90% of the area.
Sword Arabian antelope in the Arabian Peninsula has been successfully restored natural habitats, relegated from the endangered to vulnerable species. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has sword Ling from "endangered" to "vulnerable" in the Red List of Threatened Species latest. The continuation of the species for the first time did not follow the direction of development endangered to extinct, but successfully reversed.
protection level
included in the "World Conservation Union" (IUCN) 2008 Red List of Threatened Species ver 3.1-- Vulnerable (VU).
included in the "Washington Convention" CITES Appendix Ⅰ level protected animals.