Mammal · GBIF taxon 5220149
Dorcas Gazelle
Gazella dorcasAlso known as Ariel Gazelle
Dorcas gazelles are extraordinarily heat-tolerant desert specialists capable of spending their entire lives without drinking standing water. They obtain essential moisture from the dew-drenched leaves and acacia pods they consume during nighttime and dawn foraging sessions. When startled, individuals perform a distinctive bounding leap known as stotting to alert herd members and signal their vigor to nearby predators.
Desert SpecialistHerbivoreUngulate
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Acacia leaves
- Desert succulents
- Wild herbs
Predators
- Cheetah
- Leopard
- Caracal
ThreatsIllegal poaching, livestock competition, habitat loss
HabitatsDeserts, semideserts, steppes, rocky wadis
Life span10–12 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderArtiodactyla
- FamilyBovidae
- GenusGazella
- SpeciesGazella dorcas
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe from a respectful distance in the wild.
- What to notice
- Recognized by a pale fawn coat, dark lateral stripes, and lyre-shaped horns present on both sexes.
- Support conservation
- Observe quietly from vehicles or established paths without driving off-road into delicate desert habitats.
Responsible observation
- Keep Distance: Maintain a peaceful distance using binoculars, as these skittish ungulates flush easily.
- Scan Wadis: Look for subtle movement around dry riverbeds and acacia stands during cool morning hours.
- Avoid Disturbance: Steer clear of waterholes and feeding grounds to avoid disrupting foraging routines.
Food Source (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
Close Relative (c) Ltshears, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Mourad Harzallah, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Mourad Harzallah · cc-by
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