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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Grant's
gazelle |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Mammalia |
| ORDER: |
Artiodactyla |
| FAMILY: |
Bovidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Gazella
(wild goat) granti (scientific explorer) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
The
Grant's gazelle is a tall gazelle with tan flanks
and a dark brown stripe before the white on its
belly. It has long black, ridged horns. |
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| SIZE: |
Approximately
0.6-0.9 m (2-3 ft.) at the shoulder |
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| WEIGHT: |
|
| MALE |
55-80
kg (121-176 lb.) |
| FEMALE |
35-45
kg (77-99 lb.) |
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| DIET: |
Includes
leaves, grasses, herbs |
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| GESTATION: |
Gestation
lasts approximately 6 months; one offspring |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
|
| MALE |
18-24
months |
| FEMALE |
9-12
months |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
12 years (average) |
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| HABITAT: |
Inhabits
open steppes with brush and acacia; steppes with
dense forests in flat, hilly country. |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Lower
Risk/Conservation Dependent |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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|
| 1. |
Grant's
live in herds of 10-200 individuals depending upon
food availability. |
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| 2. |
Adult males are seen as the largest gazelle concerning
body weight. |
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| 3. |
Grant's have the ability to vary their body temperature
in order to conserve water. Raising the body temperature
during the day when it's the hottest causes the
animal to sweat less, thus losing less precious
water. |
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|
| 4. |
Bucks
maintain territories of about 500-2000 meters in
diameter. They are territorial, marking their space
with urine and feces. The highest-ranking males
will maintain the most "attractive" territories
(those with the most vegetation or areas nearest
the main water sources, etc.). |
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| 5. |
Taking
advantage of its ability to go long periods without
water, Grant's often extend their range into regions
where they don't have to compete with herbivores
that have to eat regularly. |
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| 6. |
Some
herds are known to migrate in the opposite direction
of the main migration since it is not necessary
for them to follow the rains. |
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| Grant's
gazelles are an important food source for many predators
such as lions and hyenas.
They
are hunted for food and trophy, but they are not
in danger of extinction.
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|
|
Estes, R.D. The Safari Companion: A Guide to
Watching African Mammals. Vermont: Chelsea Green
Publishing Co. 1993. |
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|
Gotch, A.F. Mammals-Their Latin Names Explained.
Poole, U.K.: Blandford Press Btd. 1979. |
| |
|
Nowak, R. (ed.). Walkers Mammals of the World.
Vol. II, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University
Press. 1991.
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| Parker,
S.P. (ed.). Grizmek's Encyclopedia of Mammals.
Vol 5. New York: McGraw Hill Pub. Co. 1990. |
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