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The Arabian oryx is a medium-sized, white antelope, with black
patches on its face, and dark legs. It stands about one metre
high and has two gently curving horns, which are about 50cm in
length. Its grace and beauty are legendary.
Before the beginning of the nineteenth century, oryx were
abundant in all parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Since the
advent of twentieth-century weapons and modes of transport,
however, this beautiful animal has been extensively hunted
until near-extinction. The few remaining animals retreated
into the Rub al-Khali desert (the Empty Quarter) to escape
from the hunter's gun.
In centuries past, images of the oryx probably gave rise to
its more famous mythical counterpart - the unicorn. This
beast of legend had a horse's body and a single, long, spiral
horn projecting from the middle of its forehead. A side view
of the oryx, when seen from a distance, would seem to
strengthen this image of legend, as the two, finely-carved
horns may then seem to merge into one.
To many western writers, Arabia was seen as a land of charm
and mystery. Because so little was known about it, travellers
and poets often used it as the site of strange, mythological
happenings. In the thirteenth century, Garillaume of Normandy
wrote in his book, Le Besteare Divin, the now famous legend of
the unicorn and the virgin, how the beast could not be
captured unless it laid its head in a damsel's lap. Only then
would it lose its great ferocity and allow itself to be
captured by the hunter.
Arab poets, too, extolled the beauty and grace of the oryx,
often using these qualities metaphorically to compare the
animal with a beautiful woman. The Bedouin believed that if a
man captured an oryx, he could in some way capture for himself
its virtues of strength, courage and endurance. There can be
little doubt that there is something compelling about this
beast, which makes it the source of such a wealth of poetry
and legend.
But what of the real oryx? Thriving for many centuries in the
Arabian desert, it is perfectly adapted to withstand an
inhospitable climate and barren landscape. It has evolved the
ability to go without water entirely and, if necessary, can
survive for years without drinking. The animal satisfies its
thirst by licking early morning dew which gathers on the
leaves of desert plants, and by obtaining moisture from the
plants themselves. Desert grasses, tamarisk, broomrape and
desert gourd are all sources of food and liquid for the oryx.
On the rare occasions of desert rainfall, an oryx herd can
detect the rains from a far distance and can easily find the
rainy area. Some zoologists believe that the body of the oryx
contains a kind of built-in 'radar system', which enables it
to do this.
The oryx has never been an easy animal to capture and has
always presented a great challenge to the hunter. It proved
difficult to track in the vast, empty desert landscape and,
without the benefit of modern transport, capture and
conveyance of the carcass were almost impossible. There was
virtually no wastage on the rare occasions when an oryx was
successfully hunted. Every part of the animal, including
horns, fat, skin and blood, served a useful purpose. Oryx meat
was particularly prized, as it was believed to possess
medicinal properties.
By 1972, the oryx in its wild state had been completely wiped
out. Extinction would have been inevitable, were it not for
the efforts of a far-sighted team of conservationists and an
enlightened King. A few animals had been rescued and bred in
captivity in American and European zoos. Here the oryx thrived
and numbers increased. Under the auspices of the late King
Khaled Ibn Abd al-Aziz, the oryx was reintroduced into its
homeland a few years later. In Jaddat al-Harasis, the oryx's
last known habitat, a small herd were set free, and are now
protected. Allowed to roam free and unharmed, the herd
continues to thrive and increase in number.
Zoos in Arab countries and in the West are also ensuring the
continued existence of the oryx. On the late King Khaled's
farm in Riyadh, on various farms in Qatar and the Al-'Ain Zoo
in the Emirates, these beautiful animals are doing well. As it
continues to flourish under protection, the future of the
Arabian oryx looks brighter today than at any other time this
century.
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