This is probably the most heretical comment I have ever made in any forum or am likely to make , but here goes. I do not find the pale colours of oryx attractive against a lush parkland setting.I just find that it makes this spectacular animal look quite washed out.I believe that the only animal who can really carry this off convincingly is the Charolais cow.Sorry.With regard to those zoos already keeping the species & inspired by conservation objectives , I congratulate you and please keep up the good work.However , if a zoo is deliberating a species choice which would simultaneously contribute to urgent conservation criteria and pander to aesthetes , I would suggest consideration of any among the numerous antler-bearing hoofstock who are priority conservation candidates.The deer family is surprisingly little-known , and so much valuable work can be done for them by zoos , as the Pére David´s deer saga amply demonstrates.The area occupied by oryx , today as common as goats in many zoos , could be used to great effect and with results of international significance, on behalf of many deer species.And you must admit , no animal looks half as good in parkland as deer.
I think European Fauna has a point. Not so much because of the aesthetics, but because it does not come anywhere close to replicating their natural environment of the deserts of North Africa.
Of course, our zoos here in the desert Southwest USA would love to have the "problem" of having too much greenery!
From an aesthetic and geographic point of view, I agree. However, the lions and Scimitar-horned Oryx are kept in adjacent paddocks, so I was quite lucky to find that the oryx were on the brow of the hill in their enclosure, right behind the lions. I'm not sure if they do this often but the three other times we went past, the oryx were in different corners of their paddock. Having said that, it seems too much of a coincidence that you can easily get a view of lions with oryx in the background.
Regarding conservation of hoofstock, I remember several years ago Whipsnade had a much bigger herd of Scimitar-horned Oryx, just before they became really popular: they're now down to a herd of about five, but still keep two other oryx species (Arabian and Gemsbok).
Whipsnade's 'Passage through Asia' is an enormous drive-through exhibit featuring yaks, camels and deer from around Asia: they have about 40 Pere David's deer, as well as herds of Hog deer and Barasingha. There are also around 300 free-roaming Chinese Water Deer in the zoo. As European Fauna has pointed out, deer look great in parkland, and Whipsnade really does show them off.
I haven't been there yet, but from what I hear their African Antelope includes Roan Antelope, Ellipsen Waterbuck, Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Arabian Oryx, Sitatunga and Bongo. That's quite a decent collection compared to most zoos.
