Don’t Call Me Extinct

Extinct species don’t usually get a do-over… but don’t tell that to the scimitar-horned oryx. Erased from the wild for three decades, these desert antelope are back in the Central African country of Chad with a thriving herd of over a hundred individuals. But how did this happen? We visit the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and a remote animal reserve in the United Arab Emirates to reveal the twists and turns of this amazing comeback story.

The scimitar-horned oryx can be seen every day at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. If you’d like to see a video of the animal’s release back into Chad, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! We even have a bonus video that was created for our Earth Optimism Summit.