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{{short description|Species of antelope native to the Sahara}}
{{For|the GP2 Series racing team|Addax Team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
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{{speciesbox
| italic_title = no
| name = Addax
| image = A big male Addax showing as the power of his horns.jpg
| image_caption = An addax in [[Morocco]]
| status = CR
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn">{{cite iucn |title=''Addax nasomaculatus'' |author=IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group |year=2016 |page=e.T512A50180603 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T512A50180603.en |access-date=3 June 2021}}</ref>
 | status2 = CITES_A1 
 | status2_system = CITES 
 | status2_ref = <ref>{{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}</ref>
| genus = Addax
| parent_authority = [[Charles Léopold Laurillard|Laurillard]], 1841
| species = nasomaculatus
| authority = ([[Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville|Blainville]], 1816)<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3 | id = 14200937 | page = 717}}</ref>
| synonyms_ref=
| synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true|title=<small>List</small><ref name=MSW3/><ref name=Krausman2007/>
|''Addax addax'' <small>[[Cretzschmar]], 1826</small>
|''Addax gibbosa'' <small>[[Gaetano Savi|Savi]], 1828</small>
|''Addax mytilopes'' <small>Hamilton-Smith, 1827</small>
|''Addax suturosa'' <small>Otto, 1825</small> 
|''Cerophorus nasomaculata'' <small>Blainville, 1816</small>
|''Antilope addax'' <small>Cretzschmar, 1826</small>
|''Antilope suturosa'' <small>Otto, 1825</small> 
|''Antilope mytilopes'' <small>Hamilton-Smith, 1827</small>
|''Oryx addax'' <small>Hamilton-Smith, 1827</small>
|''Oryx nasomaculatus'' <small>[[John Edward Gray|J.E. Gray]], 1843</small>}}
| range_map = Addax nasomaculatus distribution (IUCN 2015).png
| range_map_caption = Distribution of addax (IUCN 2015){{legend|LightGreen|Extant (resident)}}
{{legend|Red|Reintroduced}}
| range_map_alt = Map of Africa, showing a highlighted range (in green) covering three small areas in Mauritania, Niger and Chad
}}
[[File:Addax - IZE-106w.jpg|thumb|Addax in [[Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve]].]]

The '''addax''' ('''''Addax nasomaculatus'''''), also known as the '''white antelope''' and the '''screwhorn antelope''', is an [[antelope]] native to the [[Sahara]] Desert. The [[monotypic taxon|only member]] of the [[genus]] '''''Addax''''', it was first described scientifically by [[Henri de Blainville]] in 1816. As suggested by its alternative name, the pale antelope has long, spiral horns – typically {{cvt|55|to|80|cm}} in females and {{cvt|70|to|85|cm}} in males. Males stand from {{cvt|105|to|115|cm}} at the shoulder, with females at {{cvt|95|to|110|cm}}. They are [[sexually dimorphic]], as the females are smaller than the males. The colour of the coat depends on the season – in the winter, it is greyish-brown with white hindquarters and legs, and long, brown hair on the head, neck, and shoulders; in the summer, the coat turns almost completely white or sandy blonde.

The addax mainly eats grasses and leaves of any available shrubs, leguminous herbs and bushes. They are well-adapted to exist in their desert habitat, as they can live without water for long periods of time. Addax form herds of five to 20 members, consisting of both males and females. The herd is usually led by one dominant male.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Addax |url=https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/addax |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute |language=en}}</ref> Due to its slow movements, the addax is an easy target for its predators: [[human]]s, [[lion]]s, [[leopard]]s, [[cheetah]]s and [[African wild dog]]s. Breeding season is at its peak during winter and early spring. The natural habitat of the addax are arid regions, semideserts and sandy and stony deserts.

The addax is a [[critically endangered]] species of antelope, as classified by the [[IUCN]]. Although extremely rare in its native habitat due to unregulated hunting, it is quite common in captivity. The addax was once abundant in [[North Africa]]; however it is currently only native to Chad, Mauritania, and Niger. It is extirpated from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and [[Western Sahara]], but has been reintroduced into Morocco and Tunisia.

==Taxonomy and naming==
The scientific name of the addax is ''Addax nasomaculatus''. This antelope was first [[Species description|described]] by French zoologist and anatomist [[Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville|Henri Blainville]] in 1816. It is placed in the [[monotypic]] genus ''Addax'' and the family [[Bovidae]].<ref name=MSW3/> Henri Blainville observed [[Type (biology)#Syntype|syntypes]] in [[William Bullock (collector)|Bullock's Pantherion]] and the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons. English naturalist [[Richard Lydekker]] stated their type locality to be probably [[Senegambia]], though he did not have anything to support the claim. Finally, from a discussion in 1898, it became more probable that British hunters or collectors obtained the addax from the part of the [[Sahara]] in [[Tunisia]].<ref name=MSW3/>

The [[Genus|generic name]] ''Addax'' is thought to be obtained from an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word meaning a wild animal with crooked horns.<ref name=uu/> It is also thought to have originated from a [[Latin language|Latin]] word. The name was first used in 1693.<ref name=mw>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Entry ''Addax''|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addax|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|publisher=[[Merriam-Webster]]|access-date=13 January 2013|archive-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201224857/http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addax|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]] ''nasomaculatus'' comes from the Latin words ''nasus'' (or the prefix ''naso-'') meaning nose, and ''maculatus'' meaning spotted, referring to the spots and facial markings of the species. Bedouins use another name for the addax, the Arabic ''bakr'' (or ''bagr'') ''al wahsh'', which literally means "the cow of the wild". That name can be used to refer to other [[ungulate]]s as well.<ref name=Krausman2007/><ref name=uu>{{cite web|last=Huffman |first=B. |title=Addax |url=http://www.ultimateungulate.com/artiodactyla/addax_nasomaculatus.html |publisher=Ultimate Ungulate |access-date=13 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410011526/http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Addax_nasomaculatus.html |archive-date=10 April 2013 }}</ref> The other common names of addax are "white antelope" and "screwhorn antelope".<ref name=iwe>{{cite book|last=Burton|first=M.|title=International Wildlife Encyclopedia|year=2002|publisher=Marshall Cavendish|location=New York|isbn=978-0-7614-7266-7|pages=24–5|edition=3rd|author2=Burton, R.}}</ref>

==Genetics==
The addax has 29 pairs of chromosomes. All chromosomes are [[acrocentric]] except for the first pair of [[autosome]]s, which are [[submetacentric]]. The X chromosome is the largest of the acrocentric chromosomes, and the Y chromosome is medium-sized. The [[Locus (genetics)|short and long arms]] of the pair of submetacentric autosomes correspond respectively to the 27th and 1st chromosomes in cattle and goats. In a study, the banding patterns of chromosomes in addax were found to be similar to those in four other species of the subfamily [[Hippotraginae]].<ref name=Krausman2007/><ref name=claro>{{cite journal|last=Claro|first=F.|author2=Hayes, H.|author3= Cribiu, E.P.|title=The karyotype of the addax and its comparison with karyotypes of other species of Hippotraginae antelopes.|journal=Hereditas|year=1996|volume=124|issue=3|pages=223–7|doi=10.1111/j.1601-5223.1996.00223.x|pmid=8931355|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==History and fossil record==
In ancient times, the addax occurred from northern Africa through [[Arabia]] and the [[Levant]]. Pictures in a tomb, dating back to 2500 BCE, show at least the partial domestication of the addax by the ancient Egyptians. These pictures show addax and some other antelopes tied with ropes to stakes. The number of addax captured by a person were considered an indicator of his high social and economic position in the society.<ref name=iwe/> The ''[[pygarg]]'' ("white-buttocked") beast mentioned in [[Deuteronomy]] 14:5 is believed by [[Henry Baker Tristram]] to have been an addax. But today, excess poaching has resulted in the extinction of this species in Egypt since the 1960s.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Manilus|first=N.|title=Historical ecology and biogeography of the addax in Egypt|journal=Israel Journal of Zoology|year=2000|volume=46|issue=4|pages=261–71|doi=10.1560/H4XC-Y7PP-T1D9-014B}}</ref>

Addax fossils have been found in four sites of [[Egypt]] – a 7000 BCE fossil from the [[Great Sand Sea]], a 5000–6000 BCE fossil from Djara, a 4000–7000 BCE fossil from Abu Ballas Stufenmland and a 5000 BCE fossil from Gilf Kebir. Apart from these, fossils have also been excavated from Mittleres Wadi Howar (6300 BCE fossil), and Pleistocene fossils from Grotte Neandertaliens, Jebel Irhoud and Parc d'Hydra.<ref name=Krausman2007/>

==Physical description==
 {{multiple image
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 | width = 200
 | align = right
 | image1 = Addax nasomaculatus.jpg
 | alt1 = Summer coat
 | caption1 = The coat colour in summer
 | image2 = AddaxSnow2010.jpg
 | alt2 = Winter coat
 | caption2 = The coat colour in winter
 }}

The addax is a spiral-horned antelope. Male addaxes stand from {{convert|105|to|115|cm|abbr=on}} at the shoulder, with females at {{convert|95|to|110|cm|abbr=on}}. They are [[sexually dimorphic]], as the females are smaller than the males.<ref name=adw>{{cite web|last=Atlan|first=B.|title=''Addax nasomaculatus''|url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Addax_nasomaculatus.html|work=University of Michigan Museum of Zoology|publisher=Animal Diversity Web|access-date=20 June 2012|archive-date=2 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502025953/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Addax_nasomaculatus.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The head and body length in both sexes is  {{convert|120|to|130|cm|abbr=on}}, with a {{convert|25|to|35|cm|abbr=on}} long tail. The weight of males varies from {{convert|100|to|125|kg|abbr=on}}, and that of females from {{convert|60|to|90|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Krausman2007/>

The coloring of the addax's coat varies with the season. In the winter, it is greyish-brown with white hindquarters and legs, and long, brown hair on the head, neck, and shoulders. In the summer, the coat turns almost completely white or sandy blonde.<ref name=Krausman2007>{{cite journal |author1=Krausman, P.R.  |author2=Casey, A.L. | year = 2012 | title = ''Addax nasomaculatus'' | journal = Mammalian Species |issue=807 | pages = Number 807: pp. 1–4 | doi = 10.1644/807.1| doi-access =  }}</ref> Their head is marked with brown or black patches that form an 'X' over their noses. They have scraggly beards and prominent red nostrils. Long, black hairs stick out between their curved and spiralling horns, ending in a short mane on the neck.<ref name=f&w/>

{{multiple image
 | direction = vertical
 | width = 200
 | align = right
 | image1 = Addax-Jerusalem-Biblical-Zoo-IZE-611.jpg
 | alt1 = A male with long horns
 | caption1 = A male with long horns
 }}
The [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]]s, which are found on both males and females, have two to three twists and are typically {{convert|55|to|80|cm|in|abbr=on}} in females and {{convert|70|to|85|cm|abbr=on}} in males, although the maximum recorded length is {{convert|109.2|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Krausman2007/> The lower and middle portions of the horns are marked with a series of 30 to 35 ring-shaped ridges.<ref name=Krausman2007/> The tail is short and slender, ending in a puff of black hair. The [[Hoof|hooves]] are broad with flat [[Sole (foot)|sole]]s and strong [[dewclaw]]s to help them walk on soft sand.<ref name=f&w>{{cite book|title=The Funk & Wagnalls Wildlife Encyclopedia|author=Burton, M.|year=1974|publisher=Funk and Wagnalls|volume=1|author2=Burton, R.|location=New York, N.Y.|oclc=20316938}}</ref> All four feet possess [[scent gland]]s.<ref name=Krausman2007/> The life span of the addax is up to 19 years in the wild,<ref name=uu/> which can be extended to 25 years under captivity.<ref name=Krausman2007/><ref name=adw/>

The addax closely resembles the [[scimitar oryx]], but can be distinguished by its horns and facial markings. While the addax is spiral-horned, the scimitar oryx has decurved {{convert|127|cm|in|abbr=on}} long horns. The addax has a brown hair tuft extending from the base of its horns to between its eyes. A white patch, continuing from the brown hair, extends until the middle of the cheek. On the other hand, the scimitar oryx has a white forehead with only a notable brown marking: a brown lateral stripe across its eyes.<ref name=Krausman2007/> It differs from other antelopes by having large, square teeth like cattle and lacking the typical facial glands.<ref name=Krausman2007/>

=== Addaxes in Souss-Massa National Park, Morocco ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="130px">
Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) adult male and juvenile.jpg|An adult male and juvenile
Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) female.jpg|A female
Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) juvenile.jpg|A juvenile
Addax (Addax nasomaculatus) young adult head.jpg|The head of a young adult
</gallery>

===Parasites===
The addax is most prone to parasites in moist climatic conditions.<ref name=mungall>{{cite book|last=Mungall|first=E. C.|title=Exotic Animal Field Guide : Nonnative Hoofed Mammals in the United States|year=2007|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|location=College Station|isbn=978-1-58544-555-4|edition=1st}}</ref> Addaxes have always been infected with [[nematode]]s in the [[Strongylida#Trichostrongyloidea|Trichostrongyloidea]] and [[Strongylida#Strongyloidea|Strongyloidea]] superfamilies.<ref name=aazpa>{{cite book|title=AAZPA Regional Conference Proceedings|year=1993|publisher=American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums|page=553}}</ref> In an exotic ranch in Texas, an addax was found host to the nematodes ''[[Haemonchus contortus]]'' and ''[[Longistrongylus curvispiculum]]'' in its [[abomasum]],<ref name=Krausman2007/> of which the former was dominant.<ref name=craig>{{cite journal|last=Craig|first=T.M.|title=''Longistrongylus curvispiculum'' (Nematoda: Trichostrongyloidea) in free-ranging exotic antelope in Texas|journal=Journal of Wildlife Diseases|year=1993|volume=29|issue=3|pages=516–7|pmid=8355363|doi=10.7589/0090-3558-29.3.516|s2cid=22059990}}</ref>

==Behavior and ecology==
Addax herds contain both males and females, and have from five to 20 members. They will generally stay in one place and only wander widely in search of food. The herd is usually formed around one dominant male.<ref name=":0" /> In captivity, males show signs of territoriality and mate guarding while captive females establish dominance hierarchies, with oldest females holding highest rank <ref name=Krausman2007/>  Herds are more likely to be found along the northern edge of the tropical rain system during the summer and move north as winter falls.  They are able to track rainfall and will head for these areas where vegetation is more plentiful. Males are territorial and guard females,<ref name=Spevak1993>{{cite journal |author=Spevak, E.M. |year=1993 |title=Species survival plan contributions to research and reintroduction of the addax ''Addax nasomaculatus'' |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |volume=32 |issue=1 |pages=91–98 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1993.tb03520.x}}</ref> while the females establish their own dominance hierarchies.<ref name=Reason1988>{{cite journal |author1=Reason, R.C. |author2=Laird, E.W. |year=1988 |title=Determinants of dominance in captive female addax (''Addax nasomaculatus'') |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=69 |issue=2 |jstor=1381391 |pages=375–377 |doi=10.2307/1381391}}</ref>

Due to its slow movements, the addax is an easy target for [[Predation|predators]] such as [[human]]s, [[lion]]s, [[leopard]]s, [[cheetah]]s and [[African wild dog]]s. [[Caracal]]s, [[serval]]s and [[hyena]]s attack calves. The addax is normally not aggressive, though individuals may charge if they are disturbed.<ref name=Krausman2007/>

===Adaptations===
[[File:Addax-1-Zachi-Evenor.jpg|thumb|Addaxes grazing in dry conditions]]
The addax is amply suited to live in the deep desert under extreme conditions. It can survive without free water almost indefinitely, because it gets moisture from its food and dew that condenses on plants. Scientists{{who|date=December 2015}} think the addax has a special lining in its stomach that stores water in pouches to use in times of [[dehydration]]. It also produces highly concentrated [[urine]] to conserve water.<ref name=arkive>{{cite web|title=Addax|url=http://www.arkive.org/addax/addax-nasomaculatus/#text=All |work=Wildscreen |publisher=ARKive|access-date=20 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618050555/http://www.arkive.org/addax/addax-nasomaculatus/#text=All#text=All |archive-date=18 June 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The pale colour of the coat reflects radiant heat, and the length and density of the coat helps in [[thermoregulation]]. In the day the addax huddles together in shaded areas, and on cool nights rests in sand hollows. These practices help in dissipation of body heat and saving water by cooling the body through evaporation.<ref name=Krausman2007/>

In a study, eight addaxes on a diet of grass hay (''[[Chloris gayana]]'') were studied to determine the retention time of food from the digestive tract. It was found that food retention time was long, taken as an adaptation to a diet including a high proportion of slow fermenting grasses; while the long fluid retention time could be interpreted to be due to water-saving mechanisms with low water turnover and a roomy rumen.<ref name=hummel>{{cite journal |last=Hummel |first=J. |author2=Steuer, P. |author3=Südekum, K.-H. |author4=Hammer, S. |author5=Hammer, C. |author6=Streich, W. J.|author7=Clauss, M.|title=Fluid and particle retention in the digestive tract of the addax antelope (''Addax nasomaculatus'') — Adaptations of a grazing desert ruminant|journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A|year=2008 |volume=149 |issue=2 |pages=142–149 |doi=10.1016/j.cbpa.2007.11.001 |pmid=18083600 |url=http://www.zora.uzh.ch/2368/2/CBP_Addax_Passage_2008V.pdf |access-date=21 March 2019 |archive-date=5 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705110034/https://www.zora.uzh.ch/2368/2/CBP_Addax_Passage_2008V.pdf}}</ref>

===Diet===
[[File:Addax mit kalb.jpg|thumb|An addax calf with its mother]]
The addax lives in desert terrain where it eats grasses and leaves of what [[shrubs]], [[leguminous]] herbs and bushes are available. Primarily a [[Grazing (behaviour)|grazer]], its staple foods include ''[[Aristida]]'', ''[[Panicum]]'', and ''[[Stipagrostis]]'', and it will only consume browse, such as leaves of ''[[Acacia]]'' trees in the absence of these grasses.<ref name=hummel /> It also eats perennials which turn green and sprout at the slightest bit of humidity or rain. The addax eats only certain parts of the plant and tends to crop the ''Aristida'' grasses neatly to the same height. By contrast, when feeding on ''Panicum'' grass, the drier outer leaves are left alone while it eats the tender inner shoots and seeds. These [[seeds]] are important part of the addax's diet, being its main source of protein.<ref name="f&w"/>

===Reproduction===
Females are [[sexually mature]] at 2 to 3 years of age and males at about 2 years. Breeding occurs throughout the year, but it peaks during winter and early spring. In the northern Sahara, breeding peaks at the end of winter and the beginning of spring; in the southern Sahara, breeding peaks from September to October and from January to mid-April. Each estrus bout lasts for one or two days.<ref name=Krausman2007/>

In a study, the [[blood serum]] of female addaxes was analyzed through [[immunoassay]] to know about their [[luteal phase]]. [[Estrous cycle]] duration was of about 33 days. During pregnancy, [[Obstetric ultrasonography|ultrasonography]] showed the uterine horns as coiled. The maximum diameters of the [[ovarian follicle]] and the [[corpus luteum]] were {{cvt|15|mm}} and {{cvt|27|mm}}. Each female underwent an [[Anovulatory cycle|anovulatory period]] lasting 39 to 131 days, during which there was no [[ovulation]]. Anovulation was rare in winter, which suggested the effect of seasons on the estrous cycle.<ref name=Asa>{{cite journal |last=Asa |first=C.S. |author2=Houston, E.W. |author3=Fischer, M.T. |author4=Bauman, J.E.|author5=Bauman, K.L. |author6=Hagberg, P.K. |author7= Read, B.W. |title=Ovulatory cycles and anovulatory periods in the addax (''Addax nasomaculatus'') |journal=Journal of Reproduction and Fertility |year=1996 |volume=107 |issue=1 |pages=119–124 |doi=10.1530/jrf.0.1070119 |pmid=8699424 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

[[Pregnancy (mammals)|Gestation period]] lasts 257–270 days (about nine months). Females may lie or stand during the delivery, during which one calf is born. A postpartum estrus occurs after two or three days.<ref name=Densmore1986>{{cite journal |author1=Densmore, M.A. |author2=Kraemer, D.C. |year=1986 |title=Analysis of reproductive data on the addax (''Addax nasomaculatus'') in captivity |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=303–306 | doi=10.1111/j.1748-1090.1985.tb02559.x}}</ref> The calf weighs {{cvt|5|kg}} at birth and is weaned at 23–29 weeks old.<ref name=Manski1991>{{cite journal |author=Manski, D.A. |year=1991 |title=Reproductive behavior of addax antelope |journal=Applied Animal Behaviour Science |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=39–66 |doi=10.1016/0168-1591(91)90237-r}}</ref>

==Habitat and distribution==
The addax inhabits [[arid]] regions, [[semideserts]] and sandy and stony [[deserts]].<ref name=arkive/> They can live in extremely arid areas, with less than 100&nbsp;mm annual rainfall.<ref name=iucn/> It also inhabits deserts with tussock grasses (''Stipagrostis'' species) and succulent thorn scrub ''[[Cornulaca monacantha|Cornulaca]]''.<ref name=scf/> Formerly, the addax was widespread in the Sahelo-Saharan region of Africa, west of the Nile Valley and all countries sharing the Sahara Desert; but today the only known self-sustaining population is present in the [[Termit Massif Reserve]] (Niger). However, there are reports of sightings from the eastern [[Air Mountains]] (Niger) and [[Bodélé Depression|Bodélé]] (Chad). Rare nomads may be seen in northern Niger, southern Algeria and Libya; and the addax is rumoured to be present along the Mali/Mauritania border, though there have been no confirmed sightings.<ref name=iucn/> The addax was once abundant in [[North Africa]], native to [[Chad]], [[Mauritania]] and [[Niger]]. It is extinct in [[Algeria]], Egypt, [[Libya]], [[Sudan]] and the [[Western Sahara]]. It has been reintroduced into [[Morocco]] and Tunisia.<ref name=iucn/>

==Threats and conservation==
[[File:Addax-Jerusalem-Biblical-Zoo-IZE-481b.jpg|right|thumb|An addax in a [[breeding program]] at the [[Jerusalem Biblical Zoo]], [[Israel]]]]
Declines in the population of the addax have been ongoing since the mid-1800s.<ref name=scf>{{cite web|title=Addax|url=http://www.saharaconservation.org/?Addax|publisher=Sahara Conservation Fund|access-date=14 January 2013|archive-date=22 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522145329/http://www.saharaconservation.org/?Addax|url-status=live}}</ref> More recently, addaxes were found from Algeria to Sudan, but due mainly to overhunting, they have become much more restricted and rare.<ref name=iucn/>

Addaxes are easy to hunt due to their slow movements. [[Roadkill]], firearms for easy hunting and nomadic settlements near waterholes (their dry-season feeding places) have also decreased their numbers.<ref name=newby>{{cite journal|last=Newby|first=J.|title=Can Addax and Oryx be saved in the Sahel?|journal=Oryx|year=2009|volume=15|issue=3|doi=10.1017/S0030605300024662|page=262|doi-access=free}}</ref> Moreover, their meat and leather are highly prized. Other threats include chronic [[drought]]s in the deserts, [[habitat destruction]] due to more [[human settlements]] and [[agriculture]]. Fewer than 500 individuals are thought to exist in the wild today, most of the animals being found between the [[Termit Massif Reserve|Termit]] area of Niger, the Bodélé region of western Chad,<ref name=iucn/> and the [[Aoukar]] in Mauritania.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8-GCQyrotgMC&dq=Aoukar+addax&pg=PT326|title=The Rough Guide to West Africa|first=R.|last=Trillo|date=2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781405380706|via=Google Books}}</ref>
Today there are over 600 addaxes in Europe, [[Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve]], [[Sabratha]], [[Giza Zoo]], North America, Japan and Australia under captive breeding programmes. There are thousands more in private collections and ranches in the United States and the Middle East. Addaxes are legally protected in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria; hunting of all gazelles is forbidden in Libya and Egypt. Although enormous reserves, such as the [[Hoggar Mountains]] and [[Tassili n'Ajjer|Tasilli]] in Algeria, the [[Ténéré]] in Niger, the [[Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve]] in Chad, and the newly established [[Wadi Howar National Park]] in Sudan, cover areas where the addax previously occurred, some do not keep addaxes at the present time because they lack the resources. The addax has been reintroduced into [[Bou-Hedma National Park]] (Tunisia) and [[Souss-Massa National Park]] (Morocco). Reintroductions in the wild are ongoing in [[Jebil National Park]] (Tunisia) and [[Grand Erg Oriental]] (the Sahara), and another is planned for Morocco.<ref name=iucn/>

[[File:Addax OROA.jpg|alt=A photograph of two wild addax taken in Ouadi Rime Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve in Chad in 2022|thumb|Wild Addax in [[Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve]] in Chad, (2022)]]
It is uncertain if any of the last remaining wild addax in western Chad near the Niger border still survive.{{cn|date=June 2025}} In 2020, the [[Sahara Conservation Fund]] in partnership with the [[Environment Agency Abu Dhabi]] began a project to reintroduce addax to the [[Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve]], and there is now a small population.{{cn|date=June 2025}} In 2023, 10 addax were moved to Ennedi Natural and Cultural Reserve.{{cn|date=June 2025}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{Commons-inline|Category:Addax nasomaculatus|Addax}}
*{{Wikispecies-inline|Addax nasomaculatus}}

{{Artiodactyla|R.2}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q190154}}

[[Category:Hippotraginae]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Sahara]]
[[Category:Mammals of Chad]]
[[Category:Mammals of West Africa]]
[[Category:Mammals of North Africa]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1816]]