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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
dorcas
gazelle |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Mammalia |
| ORDER: |
Artiodactyla |
| FAMILY: |
Bovidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Gazella
dorcas |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Smallest
gazelle, long ears, light fawn with poorly-differentiated
flank stripes |
|
| SIZE: |
Shoulder
height 55-65 cm (21.65-25.5 in.), body length 90-110
cm (35.5-47.6 in.) |
|
| WEIGHT: |
15-20
kg (33-44lb.) |
|
| DIET: |
Browser,
especially Acacia leaves, occasionally invertebrates |
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|
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|
|
| LIFE
SPAN: |
Up
to 17 years observed in zoos; wild life span unknown |
|
| RANGE: |
Desert
and sub-desert zones |
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|
|
| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Vulnerable |
| CITES |
Not
listed; cites IUCN Vulnerable status |
| USFWS |
G.
d. pelzelni listed as Endangered |
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|
| 1. |
Horns
are present on both sexes. The horns may have
up to 25 annular rings and are lyre-shaped (point
outward then come in at the tips).
|
|
|
| 2. |
Though
dorcas' are the smallest gazelle they are proportionately
the longest limbed. |
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| 3. |
Dorcas'
tend to separate into small groups but will congregate
in large herds on localized resources. These herds
may reach up to 100 individuals. |
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| 4. |
They
are mainly active at night and around dusk and dawn. |
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| While
information on dorcas gazelles is limited, they
are important to the habitats where they live. As
browsers these gazelles help keep vegetation from
becoming overgrown. They also serve as a food source
for carnivores. |
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|
| |
|
|
|
Estes,
Richard D. The Behavior Guide to African Mammals
Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates.
Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California
Press. 1991.
|
| |
| Estes,
Richard D. The Safari Companion. Post Mills:
Chelsea Green Publishing Co. 1993. |
| |
| Parker,
Sybil P. ed. Grimek's Encyclopedia: Mammals
Vol. 5. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.
1990. |
| |
| Nowak,
Ronald M. Walker's Mammals of the World Fifth
Edition Vol. II. Baltimore: The John University
Press. 1991. |
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