The national animal of Jordan is the Arabian oryx. This is a species of antelope found widely in this part of the world and they are easily recognizable by their extremely long horns and distinct shoulder bump. They are iconic to many countries in this region and hold symbolic significance to many peoples.
The Arabian oryx is the national animal of several countries in this area, so from that alone, it is easy to see the impact they have had on the people.
Though they may not have the might of a lion or the brute strength of an elephant, they are nonetheless one of the most symbolically significant animals in the region.
Let’s find out more.
What is the national animal of Jordan?
The national animal of Jordan is the Arabian oryx.
The oryx is a species of mid-sized antelope, which historically probably ranged throughout virtually all of the Middle East.
They have a number of physical features that make them unmistakable: for one, their distinct shoulder bump, but more importantly their very long horns.
They usually stand between 2.6 to 4 feet tall, weighing anywhere from 220 to 460 pounds.
Their coats are mostly white, with black stripes on their faces and underbelly and black legs.
Both sexes sport long horns, which can be anywhere from two to five feet long pointing straight up from their heads though with a slight curve at the top.
They are also ringed along their whole length.
These are used both for display and also, sometimes, for competition among males.
Unusually, though, for a herd animal of this kind, they are quite capable of living in large, mixed-sex groups without any aggression towards one another.
They are not active during the heat of the day but will mostly rest.
They are excellently adapted to detect and follow rainfall, so they have a very wide range, following the rain and the vegetation that it brings.
One herd, for instance, in Oman, ranged over an area of 1,200 square miles.
They have had a turbulent history and indeed were fully extinct in the wild by the 1970s.
This was due mostly to overhunting by humans.
Fortunately, though, they were successfully reintroduced and their population numbers have been steadily increasing ever since.
They are still considered a vulnerable species, but this is in fact an upgrade from their previous endangered position in the late 2000s.
Though efforts will still need to be taken to ensure their survival, they are in a stronger position today.
Why is the Arabian oryx the national animal of Jordan?
The Arabian oryx is the national animal of Jordan for a great many reasons.
There are few animals in this part of the world that hold such significance to so many diverse groups of people.
Their range once much larger is still an important aspect of folk memory to many people, though many such people may only rarely see them in the wild anymore.
They continue to symbolize strength and unity, then, to the people of Jordan, embodying that important aspect of the national spirit.
On the other hand, they are more simply seen as embodiments of the natural beauty not only of Jordan but of the whole of the Middle East.
They are spirits of the desert and their ability to go long periods without water has raised their status to something like a mythical creature.
With their enormous horns, it is easy to see how they could hold such significance.
There is, though, also the question of conservation; though their position is steadily improving, making them the national animal remains a good way to improve their potential for survival through mass awareness of their plight.
How many Arabian oryx are left in the world?
In the wild, there are estimated to be around 1,200 oryx still in existence.
This is still a fairly low number, though again this figure has been steadily increasing over time.
There are as many as 7,000 in captivity across the region, too, and as we’ve seen reintroduction of the species has been very successful.
With concerted conservation efforts and the fierce protection of the species from illegal hunting, we can expect that they will continue to improve their population numbers and that their conservation status will continue to improve as a result, ensuring the future of this iconic species.
Are Arabian oryx aggressive?
As mentioned, Arabian oryx are generally not even especially aggressive among their own kind.
They live quite comfortably in large, mixed-sex groups, without a great deal of aggression or competition between males.
So, among their own kind, they are remarkably unaggressive for animals that live in these sorts of social groups.
That said, in terms of their aggression to humans, it would of course be proportional to the situation.
They are not going to seek out confrontation with people, and would rather keep a great distance from people wherever possible.
If cornered, though, and forced into it, they would be more than prepared to defend themselves.
So, again, there are few animals in this part of the world that hold the emblematic significance of the Arabian oryx.
They are just as significant in Jordan where they are the national animal, and their turbulent history is just another reason they have been chosen for this position.
Though they are still in a vulnerable state, it does seem that conservation efforts are succeeding for these animals.