Rolling Hills Zoo
Rolling Hills Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a new addax calf, born on August 2nd about 7:45 a.m. This marks the second calf for mother Felicity and the fifth calf sired by Ajax, the zoo’s resident male addax. This calf is a sibling to Fern, a female addax born to Felicity and Ajax in July 2023.
While confirmation is still pending on the sex of the calf, with this latest birth, Rolling Hills Zoo has now successfully welcomed nine addax calves as part of the ongoing conservation efforts for this species.
Guests hoping to catch a glimpse of the new calf might need a sharp eye as it will often lay low in shallow depressions made by the adults or along the fence line. This instinctive behavior is a natural survival strategy in the wild.
Though Kansas summers can be hot, addax are remarkably adapted to extreme desert climates. These animals can withstand temperatures over 100°F by storing heat during the day and releasing it at night, thanks to a natural cooling system that protects their brains from overheating.
Native to the Sahara Desert, the addax is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is considered one of the most threatened hoofed mammals in the world. Wild populations have been decimated by overhunting, poaching with modern firearms, and the widespread use of off-road vehicles in fragile desert habitats.
This addax birth is an incredible win for this species, and Rolling Hills Zoo is thrilled to welcome another critically endangered addax to the population. With fewer than 100 addaxes left in the wild and just over 180 in managed care across Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institutions, this species teeters on the brink of extinction. Rolling Hills Zoo is among only 21 AZA-accredited institutions with addaxes in their care and is one of the few places outside of Africa where they can be seen.
The new calf has not yet been named, but guests are invited to visit and see this rare and beautiful addition to the herd—an encouraging sign of hope for a species fighting for survival.