Antelope.. or Gazelles

One day not so very long ago a visitor asked me what the differences are between antelopes and gazelles. I immediately responded with, "Gazelles are antelopes, only small." It was then I realized that was truly the extent of my knowledge of antelopes and gazelles. Don't get me wrong; I could talk about the bongo, bontebok, blue duiker, dik-dik and Cuvier's gazelle. But what makes an antelope a gazelle?

Encarta Encyclopedia defines "antelopes" as "...a common name applied to a large group of hollowed -horned ruminants belonging to the same family as cattle, goats and sheep." This group comprises about 150 species ranging in size from the tiny (10 inch tall) royal antelope to the 1500 pound, 6' tall eland.

Antelope are found primarily in Africa, however a couple of species survive in Asia. North American species include both the pronghorn antelope and big horned sheep.

Will you answer the question.......What makes an antelope a gazelle????

Referring you to the title, gazelles make up 16 species of delicate, graceful antelopes, genus GAZELLA. Gazelles generally range 2 - 3 feet tall at the shoulder, are tan in color with black and white markings and a white rump. Horns that curve backward and are heavily ringed from the base to the tip are present on both males and females.

These browser/grazers reside in herds on open grassy plains in the scrub country of Africa. They have relatives that live along the southern steppes of southern Asia into India. It is in these habitats that the gazelle can utilize its ability to maintain 30 mph over great distances, after initial sprints of 60 mph in its flight from cheetah, leopards and lions.

Researching the gazelle was fun; especially learning Grant's, Thompson's, and the dorcas gazelle are the most common. I could feel my brain store the fact that impalas are not true gazelles, while my lips searched for a way to present the fact to the public. But then, what happens, Cuvier's gazelle!

Now here is a gazelle that's definitely anti-social! It won't live where the other gazelles live. It hides in northern Africa, namely the hills of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Then again, Cuvier's gazelle should hide; after all, motorized hunting for its skin, meat and for trophies has pushed this fine animal to the point of extinction. Listed as rare in 1932, it was thought to be extinct in Morocco in 1972 and while that proved untrue, its extinction in 1997 from Tunisia is painfully true. Recent estimates are that only 1000 remain in the wild.

Living in large territories, a male tends to his females and young in groups rarely larger than 6 animals. Keeping to the hills during the day, Cuvier's gazelle move into the valleys and meadows to feed at night. Females weigh between 30 and 45 lbs, while the male range 40 to 75 lbs. The oversized ears of the gazelle afford them excellent hearing.

Here at RWP Zoo, we have 3 Cuvier gazelle residing where the Arabian oryx once lived. Will it share the oryx's fate in the wild?

Gazelles are classified in the phylum CHORDATA; sub phylum, Vertebrata; class, Mammalia; order, Artiodactyla; family, Bovidae.

Ed Hooks,
Docent