Status: Vulnerable
Estimated numbers left: 850
Countries found in: Saudi Arabia, Qatar (Arabian Peninsula)
The Arabian oryx or white oryx (Oryx leucoryx) is a medium-sized antelope with a distinct shoulder bump, long, straight horns, and a tufted tail. It is a bovid, and the smallest member of the genus Oryx, native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian oryx was extinct in the wild by the early 1970s, but was saved in zoos and private reserves, and was reintroduced into the wild starting in 1980. They had been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List first in 1986, and among all animals has been the first whose status has become Vulnerable after previously being recognized as extinct in the wild.
Why are they threatened? One of the greatest threats to these animals is the climate crisis. But the reason for them becoming extinct was mainly hunting for their meat, hides, and horns. Overgrazing and droughts also threaten the Arabian oryx. Because these animals are dependent on temperature, any changes in climate can impact their living conditions and the population.