The Serengeti is an East African ecosystem most well-known for its animal migrations, and gets its name from a Maa word meaning “endless plains”.
Addax
The addax is a desert nomad with broad flat hooves to allow them to walk well over loose sand. Both males and females have horns, which reach up to 3½ feet long, though they are generally longer in males. Their summer coat is a light white coat to help shed excess heat, while their winter coat is a darker grey coat to help absorb heat from the sun. As an adaptation for living in the desert, addax are able to get almost all the water they need to function from the plants they eat. It’s believed that antelope like addax and oryx may have given rise to the myth of the unicorn. When viewed in profile, the horns line up in such a way as to appear that they have only a single horn. They are listed as a critically endangered species.
White Tailed Gnu
The white tailed gnu is also known as the black wildebeest. It is the smaller relative of the white bearded gnu. Both males and females have forward curving horns, as opposed to the white bearded’s horns which curve to the side. They are named for their light colored tail. Though listed as least concern today, the white tailed gnu has historically been an endangered species.
Aoudad
Though also referred to as the Barbary sheep, these animals are more closely related to goats. Their curved horns can grow up to two feet long. They are normally found in arid environments and require little water, capable of getting water from vegetation. Their light brown coat helps them blend in well with their environment and is not thick or woolly due to the heat.