The A - Z April Challenge: O

O is for Oryx

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The East African Oryx is a particularly beautiful antelope with his distinctive markings and the tall straight horns that both male and female possess. These horns can be fatal…the Oryx has been known to kill lions with them.

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While local tribesmen hunt the Oryx for its meat and hide, it is the quest for its striking horns - highly prized by trophy hunters - that have put this antelope on the list of threatened species.

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O is also for Ostrich 

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The Ostrich is a flightless bird native to Africa. It is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest egg of any bird. Hunter-gatherers use these eggs as water containers

 Male Ostrich

 With their acute eyesight and hearing, Ostriches can sense lions and other predators from far away.


Female Ostrich

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They can usually escape by running, having the top land speed of any bird, but are also capable of inflicting serious injury or death with their powerful legs.

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In Africa, Ostriches are ridden like horses, though the practice is not common elsewhere. They are also farmed for their feathers used to decorate clothing and make feather dusters…

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For more A - Z posts, be sure to pop by Arlee Bird's site and see what others have done with the letter O...
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http://www.tossingitout.blogspot.com/2011/01/very-special-and-exciting