Mammal
Dibatag
Ammodorcas clarkeiAlso known as Clarke's Gazelle
Dibatags navigate arid thornbush habitats with remarkable grace, stretching their extraordinarily elongated necks or standing on their hind legs to browse tender leaves out of reach of most herbivores. When startled, they flee with a distinctive stiff-legged trot while holding their long, black-tipped tails perfectly upright over their backs, a posture that inspired their Somali name meaning erect tail. Mostly solitary or found in pairs, these elusive antelopes obtain almost all necessary moisture from their specialized browse, allowing them to thrive far from standing water.
Arid-AdaptedHorn of AfricaBrowser
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyLeaves, shoots, buds, fruits, and herbs
Predators
- Cheetah
- Leopard
- Spotted Hyena
ThreatsOvergrazing by domestic livestock, persistent drought, habitat degradation, and illegal hunting
HabitatsSemi-desert scrub, arid thornbush, and sandy plains
Life span10–12 years
Classification
- FamilyBovidae
- SpeciesAmmodorcas clarkei
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a slender, grayish-rufous antelope with a notably long neck, white facial stripes, and a black-tipped tail carried straight up in flight.
- Support conservation
- Keep vehicle distance high, avoid pursuing fleeing animals, and report sightings to regional conservation tracking databases.
Responsible observation
- Distance: Maintain a wide berth since dibatags are extremely skittish and flush easily.
- Binoculars: Scan dense commiphora and acacia scrub slowly to spot stationary individuals blending into the brush.
- Tail posture: Watch for their distinct upright tail display as a sign they have detected your presence and are preparing to retreat.
Look-alike (c) Fabrice Stoger, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Neighbor en:User:Cburnett / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Food Plant (c) Rabah Al-Shammary, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rabah Al-Shammary · cc-by
Predator "Portrait of a Cheetah Cub" by Steve Wilson - over 10 million views Thanks !! is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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