Addax (Addax nasomaculatus), a critically endangered desert antelope.
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2016 global assessment of Addax nasomaculatus says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The addax is a pale desert antelope of the Sahara, with long, gently spiralled horns and wide hooves suited to soft sand. It is assessed as Critically Endangered, and is now extremely rare in the wild.
Superbly adapted to extreme desert, it can survive long periods without drinking, drawing moisture from its food.
Range & habitat
A desert antelope of the Sahara, now reduced to tiny remnant numbers in the wild, mainly in Niger and Chad.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Uncontrolled hunting
- Disturbance from oil exploration
- Drought and habitat degradation
Why it matters
The addax is one of the most desert-adapted large mammals alive, and its near-disappearance is a stark indicator of how heavily the Sahara's wildlife has been hunted.
Gallery
Male addax (Addax nasomaculatus) with its spiral horns.
Image: HaytemBouchri93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Addax
- IUCN Red List — look up Addax (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web