The Addax, sometimes called the ‘screw horn antelope’, because of its twisted horns, is a large, desert dwelling member of the antelope family, closely related to the Oryx. It is a critically endangered mammal which is found in several isolated areas in the Sahara desert in Northern Africa. Find out more!

The addax prefers sandy desert terrain and stony deserts, semi-desert and dry steppes. Addax rest during the day in deep depressions dug out in the sand often located near large boulders to shield them against the wind and hot sun.

They are herbivores and their diet consists of desert succulents, leaves, Aristida grasses, herbs, perennials and small bushes.

Addax also feed up on Parnicum grass whereby they will only eat the inner shoots and seeds and disregard the dry, outer leaves. These seeds provide adequate protein in the addax diet. Addax can survive without water as their thirst is satisfied by the moisture they obtain from the plants in their diet.

Also, they are nocturnal animals and are adapted to extreme desert conditions. Some are able to live far from each other in their habitat, but this does not cause any problems because they have over developed sensory skills that enable them to detect and locate each other over vast distances.