This month Becky’s Squares are focusing on odd things – you can interpret this any way you want so I am going to take you all to the zoo this month. San Diego Zoo to be precise and the photos featured will be either odd looking animals, animals with odd names, odd facts or slightly odd photos. I hope you’ll enjoy my selection.
Oryx are distinctive antelope with long, straight, slender horns. These horns, carried by both males and females, give oryx the nickname “spear antelope.” Adult male oryx sometimes fight for dominance in the herd. They may clash horns, butt heads, and push and shove, but they do not try to gore the opponent.
The Arabian oryx O. leucoryx is the most specialized oryx for living in true desert extremes. Its light colour reflects the desert heat and sunlight, and it can erect its hair on cold winter mornings to capture warmth to hold in its thick undercoat. Arabian oryx legs also darken in the winter to absorb more of the sun’s heat.
The odd thing about my square photo is that the usually very long horns appear to have been shortened.
If you want to join in either daily, weekly or just on the odd occasion then please visit Becky, the only rule is that the main photo MUST be a square – that is four equal sides! You have been warned 😉
TRAVEL WORDS 
What a well adapted creature! I’d like hair that stands on end to keep out the cold.
well I am glad they don’t gore each other, but guess might be awkward at that angle!
I like the way that the twigs balance the horns in your picture.
I wonder if the tips have been removed to protect the keepers?
Well the one lying down still has his.
That’s nice
I have seen those in London Zoo, and they had very long horns.
Best wishes, Pete. x
I can’t decide which is better- the name or the interesting darker streaks across the face
They do look as though their horns are attached by a chin strap!
I wonder if they broke off at some time, although they look a bit too neat for that.
Intriguing.
I did notice that about the horns in the first shot. I enjoyed that shot because it almost looks as if the horns are attached by a black strap under the chin. 🙂
Yes! I also thought that!