Addax

Addax nasomaculatus

The addax (Addax nasomaculatus), also called the white antelope or screwhorn antelope, is a pale desert antelope once widespread across the Sahara and Sahel. Both males and females carry long, twisted horns, and the coat shifts from gray-brown in cooler months to nearly white in heat, reflecting sunlight in open desert. Broad, splayed hooves help it move across loose sand, and its physiology allows it to survive long periods without drinking by using moisture from plants. Wild addax are now among the world’s rarest antelopes, with only a very small number persisting in parts of Niger, Chad, and surrounding desert landscapes.

Most addax seen by the public are in zoos, conservation centers, or managed ranch herds that support assurance populations and, in some cases, reintroduction planning. They do best in spacious, dry paddocks with room to move, shade, windbreaks, and shelter from prolonged cold rain or mud. Diets usually combine grass hay, browse, and hoofstock pellets; mineral balance and hoof wear matter because a desert-adapted animal can develop foot problems on damp or soft ground. Herd management is calm and deliberate, as addax are capable runners but can be stressed by tight handling. Coordinated breeding records help maintain genetic diversity for this critically endangered species.