Where does the dorcas gazelle live?
The dorcas gazelle is a small and common gazelle that lives in the Sahara: the smallest of the Saharan bovids. Its numerous subspecies survive on vegetation in grassland, steppe, wadis, mountain desert and semidesert climates of Africa and Arabia. Populations in Israel and around the Red Sea are darker and more reddish. The Saharan subspecies has a very pale, fawn-coloured coat.
What does the dorcas gazelle eat?
It lives on the vegetation of these dry environments. It is smaller than the mountain gazelle, but has longer ears and more strongly curved horns, which bow outwards then turn inwards and forwards at the tips. It stands about 55 to 65 cm at the shoulder, with a head and body length of 90 to 110 cm and a weight of 15 to 20 kg. Its white underside is bordered with a brown stripe, above which is a sandy stripe.
Is the dorcas gazelle endangered?
Yes: the IUCN lists it as Vulnerable. About 35,000 to 40,000 exist in the wild. In the last century, its populations were partially destroyed in all the countries where it lives.
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