Larry and the girls!

These wonderful antelopes once roamed freely in the Northern African plains and deserts of Egypt, Senegal and Chad. Over-hunted, and with decreasing habitat the last truly wild Oryx were seen in the 1980s, and are classified on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List as 'extinct in the wild'. This species highlights the importance of zoo collections, where the remaining Oryx have been bred. Today small groups are being re-introduced in Tunisia.

Our lad Larry has been especially selected to breed with two girls, his important genes will extend and enhance the European pool, and help boost numbers that can be successfully re-introduced to the wild in protected areas.