Arabian oryx

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/arabian-oryx

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Oryx leucoryx
2. What is the population (wild)?Estimated at 1,220 individuals as of 2016, with 850 mature individuals
3. What does the Arabian oryx look like?The Arabian oryx has a pure white coat, a shoulder hump, long straight horns that can be over 75 cm long, and broad hooves that help it walk on sand.
4. How does the Arabian oryx survive in the desert?It gets most of its water from the grasses and thorny acacia it eats, uses special nasal passages and a unique circulatory system to stay cool, and is most active at dawn and dusk to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Bovid: A member of the family Bovidae, which includes cattle, goats, sheep, and antelopes.
Arid Environment: A very dry region with extremely low rainfall, characterized by desert or steppe landscapes.
Genetic Diversity: The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species, crucial for adaptation and survival.