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Life without water
"The addax almost never drinks water. It survives in the desert by extracting moisture from grass and leaves. Even in temperatures above 40 degrees!"
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
desert and dry areas in North Africa
Food:
desert grasses and leaves
Weight:
♀ 60 to 90 kilograms ♂ 100 to 125 kilograms
Number of young:
1 young
Gestation period:
9 months
To be seen:
along walking safari, bus safari and car safari
IUCN:
critically endangered
EEP:
yes
About the addax
The addax (Addax nasomaculatus) is a desert antelope found in the arid regions of North Africa. It is perfectly adapted to life without water. By being active at night and sheltering in self-dug pits during the day, it manages to avoid the heat. This antelope is one of the few species that can survive in the desert. Yet it has all but disappeared in the wild. Due to hunting and the increasingly dry climate, there are only 30 to 90 adult animals left. They are hunted for their skin and meat, and because they cannot run fast, they are easy prey.
Habitat and threats
The addax lives in the deserts and dry areas of North Africa, such as the Sahara Desert. This antelope is perfectly adapted to living in heat and drought. Its broad hooves allow it to move well over the loose sand, and it can survive for long periods of time by extracting moisture from plants.
Today, the addax is virtually extinct in the wild. Due to hunting, disturbance of its habitat and competition with livestock, there are only a few dozen left in the wild. Also, oil and gas activities in desert areas cause severe disturbance to their habitat. The species is listed as "critically endangered" on the IUCN list. Fortunately, breeding programs have been established in zoos and nature reserves to preserve the species and possibly release it back into the wild.
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Species conservation in Beekse Bergen
Fortunately, the IUCN status of the addax is “least concern”, but did you know that more than 10,000 animal species are threatened with extinction? Beekse Bergen works together with approximately 325 European zoos to preserve these species. We form the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Through management programmes (EEPs), we ensure healthy reserve populations.
The addax at Beekse Bergen are also part of an EEP. A coordinator keeps a studbook of the species and manages the population in zoos. Together with a committee, the coordinator advises on which animals are allowed to breed together. Sometimes this means that a NAAM DIERSOORT is moved to another zoo. In this way, we increase the chance of healthy offspring and the survival of the species. You can recognize animal species with an EEP by the logo of a rhino with a calf.