Critically endangered addax antelope calf makes debut at Zoo Miami
MIAMI - An infant addax made its first public appearance over the Christmas weekend at Zoo Miami.
The male calf was born on December 20th and weighed just over 14 pounds at birth after a pregnancy of approximately 8 ½ months.
The critically endangered antelope had been kept behind the scenes with its first-time mother to ensure proper bonding before being introduced to the exhibit habitat.
There are only a few hundred addax left in the wild, making them one of the most critically endangered animals in the world. Though it once ranged throughout much of the Sahara desert in North Africa, it has now been reduced to a small reserve in Niger.
Poaching is a main threat as is the destruction of their habitat due to petroleum exploration.
Addax are nomadic and live in small herds ranging from 5-20 individuals led by a dominant male. They have wide padded hooves for walking in the sand and produce dry feces and concentrated urine enabling them to get all of the water they need from the vegetation that they eat.
In addition, their white to tan coloration aids in blending in with their desert environment while helping to keep them cool by reflecting heat.
The careful breeding of addax populations under human care serves as an insurance policy against a very uncertain future in the wild where some experts believe that they are soon headed for extinction. Thanks to the closely managed herds in zoos like Zoo Miami, this critically endangered species has a much better chance for long-term survival.