Smithsonian’s National Zoo Mourn Loss of Addax

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are mourning the loss of their two year old female addax Terri. Following a necropsy (animal autopsy) the zoo believe that she sustained significant injuries as a result of a collision with an object following a fright. Keepers did not observe the incident which led to her death.

In human care male addax typically live to be 11 years old while females reach up to 14 years old.

Just before noon on June 12 keepers in the Africa Trail habitat found Terri deceased in her habitat near the fence separating it from the ostrich habitat. She had been observed moving and behaving normally earlier that day.

Terri lived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC alongside herd mates Jack and Janet. All three came to the zoo in November 2021 as ambassadors for their species. These animals are increasingly threatened by drought, hunting and habitat loss due to oil and agricultural expansion.