Dorcas Gazelle 
Dorcas Gazelle
Dorcas Gazelle
Scientific Name:
Gazella dorcas
Other Names and/or Listed subspecies:
3 subspecies endangered: Saudi Arabian Gazelle (Gazella dorcas saudiya), Pelzeln's Gazelle (Gazella dorcas pelzelni), Moroccan Gazelle (Gazella dorcas massaesyla)
Group:
Mammals
Status/Date Listed as Endangered:
EN-US FWS: G. d. saudiya - June 25, 1979, G. d. pelzelni - June 25, 1979, G. d. massaesyla - June 2, 1970
VU-IUCN: 2008
Area(s) Where Listed As Endangered:
Algeria, Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia
 
Advertisement
 

The dorcas gazelle species can be found in northern Africa and throughout the Sahara and Negev deserts and parts of the Middle East. Their coats vary in coloration, depending on the subspecies and location. Dorcas gazelles are generally pale colored with white underparts and two brown stripes on either side. The head is usually darker than the rest of the body and the horns are curved. The amount of horns vary according to subspecies. Horns of the females are smaller and straighter than the males. The average body mass for adults is 36 lbs.

The dorcas gazelle is well equipped to inhabit dry land and can be found in a variety of habitats, including savannahs, semi-deserts and sand dune fields. Their diet consists of flowers, leaves, and pods of acacia trees. They also eat fruits and leaves of a variety of bushes. They prefer to travel in pairs or large groups consisting of one or two males and up to four females and their young. Males have been seen traveling in bachelor groups of four or five. Like other desert gazelle species, dorcas gazelles can go their entire lives without drinking water, only getting water found in the plants they eat.

Three dorcas gazelle subspecies are endangered: the Saudi Arabian gazelle (G. d. saudiya) of Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula, the Pelzeln's gazelle (G. d. pelzelni) of Somalia, and the Moroccan gazelle (G. d. massaesyla) of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. The main threat to dorcas gazelles is hunting by humans for their meat and loss of habitat.




Wikipedia Article

This article is only an excerpt. If it appears incomplete or if you wish to see article references, visit the rest of its contents here.
Wikipedia Article
Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dorcas gazelle".

Featured Article

Captive cheetah gives birth to largest litter ever recorded
For the first time in history, a captive cheetah has successfully given birth to eight healthy cubs. It is said that only around 10,000 cheetahs remain in the wild in Africa along with 100 or fewer in Iran.

Read More...


Advertisement


Endangered Species of Our Planet

Donate, Adopt, Get Involved

EEC Conservation Directory
Donate

Mailing List

Would you like to receive a notice and link when the new Creature Feature is posted?

Enter your e-mail address below:

 

Fun & Games

Are you inspired by endangered animals? Check out our games and coloring pages! More to come soon.
color endangered creatures
play hangman