Dorcas Gazelle

Gazella dorcas

Conservation Status

Near Threatened

Mammalia · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

About

The dorcas gazelle, also known as the ariel gazelle, is a small and common gazelle. The dorcas gazelle stands about 55–65 cm at the shoulder, with a head and body length of 90–110 cm and a weight of 15–20 kg. The numerous subspecies survive on vegetation in grassland, steppe, wadis, mountain desert and in semidesert climates of Africa and Arabia. About 35,000–40,000 exist in the wild.

Fun Fact

Dorcas gazelles can go their entire lives without drinking water, extracting all the moisture they need from desert plants, and they can shrink their heart and liver during droughts to conserve energy.

Quick Facts

Habitat

Deserts and semi-deserts

Diet

Herbivore

Lifespan

12-15 years

Threats

Illegal Wildlife Trade
Poaching
Water Extraction

External Data Sources

Recent sightings on iNaturalist IUCN Red List profile

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