The oryx's white coat reflects the blazing desert sun, which helps keep its body temperature down. Its hooves are broad and shovel-shaped, perfect for walking on soft sand without sinking. It can go for long periods without drinking water by getting moisture from the plants it eats — such as grasses, bulbs and desert fruits.
Arabian oryx can sense rain and fresh grass from very far away, and they travel long distances across the desert to find it. They are not fast runners like cheetahs, but they are steady walkers who can cover huge areas of harsh desert landscape without tiring.
You can see Arabian oryx at the Al Areen Wildlife Park in Bahrain, where they roam in large open enclosures. The park is one of the places helping to protect these animals and ensure they continue to thrive. When an oryx is seen from the side, its two horns can look like one long horn — some historians think this may be where the legend of the unicorn came from!
The Arabian oryx is an inspiring conservation success story. By working together, people in the Gulf and around the world have helped bring these graceful animals back and given them safe places to live.