Diet
Scimitar oryx natively inhabit steppe and desert, where they eat foliage, grass, herbs, shrubs, succulent plants, legumes, juicy roots, buds, and fruit. They can survive without water for even 9–10 months, a notable adaptation of the animal in the desert climate, because their kidneys prevent loss of water from urination. They can still rely upon water-rich plants, such as the wild melon Citrullus colocynthis and leafless twigs Capparis decidua and Indigofera oblongifolia. In the night or early morning, they often search for plants such as Indigofera viscosa, which produce a hygroscopic secretion, which fulfills water requirements. They do not like to eat tuft grasses (Cymbopogon schoenanthus), though they could be immediately available after a rain, but prefer more palatable grasses, such as Cenchrus biflora, Panicum laetum and Dactyloctenium aegyptium. When the dry season begins, they feed on seedpods of Acacia raddiana. During the dry season, the oryx rely on perennial grasses of genera such as Panicum (notably Panicum turgidium) and Aristida, and browse species such as Leptadinia spp., Cassia italica and Cornulaca monacantha.
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