ANIMAL: Gerenuk Litocranius walleri Type of Animal: Antelope Habitat: Dry thornbrush, semi-arid bushland, semi-desert, desert, plains, savanna, grassland, open woodland Location(s): Found in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, much of Kenya, & small part of N. Tanzania. Once found in Egypt & Sudan. Appearance: Reddish backside w/ orangish sides & pale underbelly, long slender neck led it to also be called “giraffe gazelle,” only males have horns, males also have more muscular neck. Food/Diet: Leaves, shoots, flowers, fruit, buds, shrubs, creepers, vines, seeds, grains, nuts, thorny shrubs, herbs, blossoms Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos, wildlife parks, & breeding centers Lifestyle: Females & young live in small herds almost never numbering more than 12 (average number=3-5 adult females), sometimes accompanied by a male. Other males live alone, in pairs, or in trios. Additional Info: Called: Male-Buck Female-Doe Young-Calf/Fawn Group-Herd Weight: Male-68-115 lbs Female-62-99 lbs Young-20 lbs Gestation: 7 months Life Span: 8-12 years Height: Male- 2.11-3.5 ft Female- 2.7-3.3 ft Body Length: Male- 5.3 ft Female- 4.6 ft Tail Length: 0.98 ft Main predators of adults are lions, hyenas, wild dogs, leopards, cheetahs, pythons, caracals, jackals, & crocodiles. Servals, honey badgers, & large eagles prey on young. Declining due to habitat loss, hunting, & competition with livestock. Sexually mature at a year old. First described by naturalist Victor Brooke in 1878. They’re active during the day (diurnal). Calves/fawns spend 1st few weeks of life hidden. They buzz when alarmed, whistle when annoyed, bleat loudly when in danger, & females bleat softly to communicate w/ young. Besides being called “giraffe gazelle,” also sometimes called “Waller’s gazelle.” Like many gazelles, they have preorbital glands in front of eyes. Males emit tar-like substance from these to mark territory. After feeding young, mothers clean them up & eat remaining food to lessen chance of detection by potential predators. Can breed anytime of year. Courtship starts w/ male approaching female & repeatedly tapping belly/flanks w/ front leg. He also rubs female w/ preorbital glands to deposit scent before mating. This might be mechanism to let other males know she’s taken. Fun Fact(s): The word “gerenuk” means “giraffe-neck” in Somali. Can reach plants 6-8 ft higher than them by getting on their hind legs. Can go entire life w/o drinking water, since they get it from diet. Many tribal tales crown them ‘queen of humbleness.’
