Jan 22, 2023
Scimitar Oryx (Oryx dammah)
Extinct in the Wild
North Africa
threats: desertification in the Neolithic age, hunting, war and unrest
The scimitar oryx was domesticated in Ancient Egypt and is believed to have been used as food and sacrificed as offerings to gods. Wealthy people in Ancient Rome also bred them. The use of their valuable hides began in the Middle Ages. The unicorn myth may have originated from sightings of a scimitar oryx with a broken horn.
In 2016 a small herd was reintroduced in Chad.