Beisa Oryx - North America Introduced | Online Record Book Preview

Oryx beisa beisa

Orix beisa (Sp), Beisa-Spiessbok (G), Oryx beisa (F). "Beisa" is said to be from the Amharic beza for this animal, or to be a misconception of the Somali be'id or bi'id. If the latter, it should have been "beida" rather than "beisa," but is too late to change now in any event.

DESCRIPTION (male) Shoulder height 43-47 inches (110-120 cm). Weight 370-460 pounds (169-209 kg). Females are somewhat smaller.

The beisa oryx is not as strikingly marked as a gembok. The overall color is a sandy gray, with no black on rump or thighs. The black flank bands are wider than in the fringe-eared oryx, but narrower than in the gemsbok. The black facial stripes do not unite to form a muzzle band as they do in gemsbok, thus the white stripes are continuous from above the eyes to the muzzle. Ears are rather large, and without a hair fringe. The horns are similar to those of the fringe-eared oryx, but slimmer, and are shorter and less divergent than in the gemsbok.

DISTRIBUTION Private ranches in Texas.

REMARKS Native to East Africa north of the Tana River.

Although our policy is to not recognize subspecies in introduced populations, as it can be impossible to keep them straight, we do so in this case because the beisa and fringe-eared oryxes are readily distinguished.

HYBRIDIZATION The beisa oryx is either known or believed to crossbreed, or to be the result of hybridization, when in a game ranch environment.