The
scimitar oryx or
scimitar-horned oryx (
Oryx dammah), also known as the
Sahara oryx, is a species of
Oryx now
extinct in the wild. It formerly inhabited all of
North Africa. It has a long taxonomic history since its discovery in 1816 by
Lorenz Oken, who named it the
Oryx algazel. This spiral-horned antelope stands a little more than at the shoulder. The males weigh and the females weigh . The coat is white with a red-brown chest and black markings on the forehead and down the length of the nose. The calves are born with a yellow coat, and the distinguishing marks are initially absent. The coats change to adult coloration at 3–12 months old.