Overview
See native range and biology below. [1]
Native range
North Africa; released in New Mexico (1950) and Texas (1957). [1]
Size
Males up to 145 kg; females up to 65 kg. [1]
Lifespan
~10 years wild; ~20 years captive. [1]
Breeding & gestation
~160 days (5.2–5.5 months); lambs mostly Mar–May; females mature ~19 months. [1]
Temperament & social structure
Not verified from a primary source for this page.
Habitat needs
Desert and rocky arid terrain. [1]
Where they thrive (Texas / US)
Documented free-ranging in major portions of Kerr, Bandera, Edwards and Real counties (Edwards Plateau/Hill Country). Also the 8 Panhandle counties around Palo Duro Canyon (Armstrong, Briscoe, Donley, Floyd, Hall, Motley, Randall, Swisher), and free-ranging across the Trans-Pecos, where TPWD has tested 500+ aoudad in 17 mountain ranges and the regional population is believed to exceed 100,000. See the interactive Texas species map (../site/map.html). [2][3][4]
Space per animal
No verified species-specific stocking rate was found. Carrying capacity depends on rainfall, range condition and competing grazers—get a range/stocking assessment (NRCS or Texas A&M AgriLife).
Housing & shelter
Not verified from a primary source for this page.
Fencing
Texas Parks & Wildlife states game fences at least 8 ft high (woven-wire or high-tensile) are the only fully reliable deer-exclusion fence. That is the common high-fence standard for deer and antelope; a species-specific minimum for this animal was not found in a primary source. [5]
Natural diet
Not verified from a primary source for this page.
Feed & supplementation
No verified species-specific protein % or mineral formula was found. Texas deer guidance (16–20% CP pellet; 13–16% CP for growth/reproduction) is sometimes used as a reference point but is not antelope-specific—work with a ruminant nutritionist/exotic vet. [6][7]
Common health issues & parasites
Haemonchus contortus and Longistrongylus dominate abomasal worm burdens in free-ranging exotic antelope in Texas (sable, addax, blesbok studied); captive wild ruminants show anthelmintic resistance, so use fecal egg counts and fecal egg-count reduction tests instead of routine blanket deworming. [8][9]
Vet care & vaccination
No vaccines are labeled for this species in the US; any vaccination protocol is extra-label and should be set by a veterinarian experienced with exotic hoofstock. (No specific protocol was verified for this page.)
Handling & capture
Capture myopathy—muscle damage from pursuit, restraint and transport—is often fatal in wild ungulates. Minimize chase time and stress, avoid hot conditions, use appropriate chemical immobilization by a vet, and release/unload quickly. [10]
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. [11]
Legal notes (general info, not legal advice)
General information, not legal advice. USDA APHIS licensing under the Animal Welfare Act applies to dealers and exhibitors; check USDA and your state wildlife and animal-health agencies before buying, moving or selling. [12][13]
Sources
- Animal Diversity Web (Univ. of Michigan) – Ammotragus lervia
- TPWD Kerr WMA – Exotic game research
- TPWD, Exotics in Texas (1988 statewide survey summary)
- Borderlands Research Institute (Sul Ross) – Trans-Pecos aoudad
- TPWD, Local Control Methods (deer damage): 8-ft woven-wire/high-tensile game fence
- TPWD, Specific Habitat Management Practices – White-tailed Deer (16–20% protein pellet; corn 7–10% CP)
- Tomeček, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Deer & goat co-management (6–7% CP maintenance; 13–16% CP growth/antlers/reproduction)
- Longistrongylus/Haemonchus in free-ranging exotic antelope in Texas (J. Wildl. Dis., PubMed 8355363)
- Anthelmintic activity in captive wild ruminants by fecal egg reduction tests (J. Zoo Wildl. Med. 2000)
- Breed et al. 2019, Understanding capture myopathy (Conservation Physiology, PMC6612673)
- IUCN Red List – Ammotragus lervia (assessment page)
- TPWD Outdoor Annual – Nongame, Exotic & Other Species (exotic status in Texas)
- USDA APHIS – Animal Welfare Act licensing & registration
Figures are taken from the numbered sources; items marked "not verified" could not be confirmed from a primary source and are intentionally left blank. Husbandry guidance is general—confirm with an exotic-animal veterinarian.