Dama Gazelle
Nanger dama
Conservation Status
Critically EndangeredMammalia · Artiodactyla · Bovidae
About
The dama gazelle, also known as the addra gazelle or mhorr gazelle, is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa, in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. A critically endangered species, it has disappeared from most of its former range due to overhunting and habitat loss, and natural populations only remain in Chad, Mali, and Niger. Its habitat includes grassland, shrubland, semi-deserts, open savanna and mountain plateaus. Its diet includes shrubs, herbs, grasses, leaves, shoots, and fruit.
Fun Fact
Dama gazelles are the rarest gazelles on Earth, with fewer than 100 remaining in the wild — they can tolerate extreme Saharan heat by allowing their body temperature to rise several degrees before sweating.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Saharan grasslands and scrublands
Diet
Herbivore
Lifespan
12-15 years
Threats
- Urban Expansion
- Genetic Bottleneck
- Overgrazing
- Small Population Size