Rare Scimitar-Horned Oryxes: Double Offspring at Zoo Schmiding

Unusually late in the year - the main birthing season is in spring and summer - the two young animals were born healthy and lively within a few days, the zoo reported on Friday.

Scimitar-horned oryx young are hard to spot

The little ones are cute - and hard to spot. This is because the mothers place their young away from the herd in tall grass, where they are well camouflaged. To observe them, one needs - still - a bit of patience. Day by day, the little ones become bolder and more curious and venture out of their hiding places. The birth of the two oryx significantly contributes to the preservation of the species. "Such offspring are an important contribution to species protection and demonstrate the role modern zoos play in the conservation of endangered animal species," emphasized Zoo Director Andreas Artmann.

This is because the scimitar-horned oryx, also known as Oryx dammah, was hunted for decades due to its famous 1.2-meter-long horns and was already considered extinct in the wild. However, thanks to internationally coordinated breeding programs (EEP) and reintroduction projects in North Africa, there are currently smaller herds in the wild again, and the population of free-living animals is slowly but steadily increasing. The scimitar-horned oryx originates from North Africa and is perfectly adapted to life in dry savannas.

(APA/Red)

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