Hobbies And Interests
Oryx
The oryx is a large antelope found in the arid regions of Africa. The African Wildlife Foundation describes the oryx as having two long, spearlike horns, a thick, horselike neck and a compact, muscular body. The striking horns of the oryx are sought after as charms in local and distant cultures. In Medieval England, the horns of the oryx were sold as unicorn horns. The oryx is hunted in modern-day Africa by local tribesman who make use of the meat and hides of the animal. Living in herds with a well-defined hierarchical structure, oryx are well adapted to life in the desert and can live for up to 20 years. They consume thick-leaved plants as well as roots and tubers that they dig from underground. Oryx feed late at night or early in the morning when plants are saturated with dew and contain 25 to 40 percent more water than during the heat of the day.
Camels
Camels are large, strong mammals ranging in color from dirty white to dark brown. Originally evolving in North America, camels migrated to Asia and South America before becoming extinct in North America. The Asian camels diverged into two types: the single-humped Arabian camel of Arabia and North Africa, and the two-humped Bactrian camel of central Asia. Camels have broad, flat feet that help to disperse their weight and keep them from sinking into sand, and hard pads on their chest, knees and thighs to protect them when lying or kneeling on hard or hot surfaces. They are able to go several days without drinking water, or for longer periods when their water needs are met by eating juicy, water-filled plants. They also have valvular nostrils to protect delicate airways from blowing sand.
Collared Peccary
The collared peccary is a mammal native to North America that looks similar to a pig, but is more slender with longer legs and smaller hooves. They are adaptable to many different habitats including tropical rain forests, semidesert canyons and true deserts such as the Saguaro deserts in the southwestern United States. There, they prefer to live near permanent sources of water, because collared peccaries cannot reduce their temperature through panting. During the hottest part of the day, desert collared peccaries take refuge in the shade. Collared peccaries are primarily herbivorous, feeding on cacti, especially agaves and prickly pears, as well as other roots and fruits, but they will also eat insects, worms and small reptiles.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn resemble African antelopes, with deerlike bodies of 90 to 125 lbs., but are native to North America, living in grassland, brushland and desert throughout North America. They are found in the deserts of the American Southwest. They numbered in the tens of thousands only 200 years ago, but are now one of the most endangered animals in North America due to overhunting, competition for grazing from livestock and drought. Pronghorn eat a wide variety of grasses, herbs and cacti and are well-suited to open terrain.