Addax Facts

Addax Facts

Scientific Name:

Addax nasomaculatus

Class:

Mammalia

Order:

Artiodactyla

Family:

Bovidae

Genus:

Addax

Species:

Addax nasomaculatus

Life Span:

Up to 19 years (up to 25 years in captivity)

Diet:

Herbivore (grasses, leaves, desert plants)

Size:

150–170 cm (body length)

Weight:

60–125 kg

Speed:

Up to 35 km/h

Predators:

Lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, humans

Habitat:

Sahara Desert and semi-desert regions of North Africa

Gestation:

About 257–270 days

Addax Facts:

  • The addax has long, twisted spiral horns that can grow up to 80 centimeters, used for defense and dominance.
  • Its wide, flat hooves help it walk easily on soft desert sand.
  • Addax are mostly nocturnal, becoming active at night to avoid extreme daytime heat.
  • Their coat changes color with seasons—white in summer to reflect heat and grayish-brown in winter.
  • Addax can survive months without drinking water, relying on plant moisture and metabolic water.
  • Fewer than a few hundred addax remain in the wild, making conservation efforts extremely important.
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