The critically endangered antelope also called the screwhorn antelope is the addax, scientifically known as Addax nasomaculatus. It is also called the white antelope because its coat can become very pale in hot weather.
The addax is adapted to the Sahara’s arid deserts, semideserts, and sandy or stony terrain. It can survive for long periods without directly drinking water, obtaining moisture from plants and conserving water efficiently. Its broad hooves help it move across soft sand, while its long, spiral horns give rise to the name “screwhorn.”
Once widespread across the Sahelo-Saharan region, the addax is now restricted to a tiny remnant of its former range, with wild animals associated especially with Niger, Chad, and Mauritania. Unregulated hunting, habitat pressure, drought, and disturbance have driven the decline. The species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
The addax is sometimes confused with the scimitar oryx. Both are desert antelopes, but the addax has twisted horns and distinctive facial markings, while the oryx has long, backward-curving horns.