A male scimitar-horned oryx from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center is playing an important role in ensuring the species does not vanish from the planet. Oryx are a type of desert antelope that are mostly white with reddish-brown necks and marks on the face and a long, dark, tufted tail. They stand up to 4 feet and 6 inches tall at the shoulder, and both male and female oryx have curved horns that grow to be several feet long.