Scimitar oryx are perfectly designed for desert life. Their white coats reflect the sun's heat, and they can raise their own body temperature slightly during the hottest part of the day so that they do not lose water by sweating. This is like a built-in thermostat. They can also go for very long periods without drinking, finding moisture in the dry grasses and desert plants they eat.
In 2016, a group of scimitar oryx was carefully transported to Chad's Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve. More followed in later years. The animals were fitted with tracking devices so scientists could watch how they moved, what they ate, and whether they were staying safe. The good news: the herd has been growing, and the oryx seem to be thriving back in their homeland.
The long, swept-back horns of a scimitar oryx are one of nature's most elegant shapes. Both males and females have them. The horns can be over a metre long — longer than a child's arm — and are used in display and sometimes for defence. When seen from the side, a running oryx with its horns swept back looks as if it has just one horn, which some historians think may have helped inspire legends about unicorns.