SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Oryx dammah

The scimitar is the smallest of oryx (also known as a desert antelope). When viewed from the side, the scimitar’s face looks like a horse with one singular curved-shaped horn. The tale of the unicorn is believed to be built around this animal. Usually a herd consists of less than 20 animals and may contain several adult males in addition to females and young. The herd is closed to outsiders and has a hierarchical organization. Bulls generally rank over cows but sometimes sub-adult bulls are outranked by cows. The bull of the oryx herd will frequently reinforce his position over the other males.

The scimitar needs water and vegetation to survive, so it will drink whenever it can. The animal’s sense of distant rainfall is strong and will travel hundreds of miles to feed on new vegetation. To conserve energy and water loss, the animal will rest in the shade during the hottest part of the day. It spends time grazing from sunrise to mid-morning, then again after sunset.