Gazelle Gazelle

Gazelle - Definition and Overview

Related Words: Arrow, Buck, Camel, Camelopard, Cannonball, Caribou, Courser, Dart, Deer, Doe, Dromedary, Eagle, Eland, Electricity, Elk, Fawn, Flash
Gazelles
Image:Thompson's_Gazelle.jpeg
Thompson's Gazelle
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Artiodactyla
Family:Bovidae
Genus:Gazella
Species

Several, see text

A gazelle is an antelope of the genus Gazella. Gazelles are known as swift animals; they are able to reach high speeds for long periods of time. Gazelles are mostly found in the grasslands and savannas of Africa, but also in south-west Asia. They live in large herds and eat grass.

A recognizable example of the gazelle is Thomson's Gazelle (Gazella thomsonii), which is around 60 to 90 cm in height at the shoulder and is coloured brown and white with a distinguishing black stripe (as in the picture on the right). The males have long, often curved, horns. Tommies, as they are familiarly called, exhibit a distinctive behaviour of stotting (that is running slowly and jumping high before fleeing) when they are threatened by predators such as lions or cheetahs. This is a primary piece of evidence for the handicap theory advanced by Amotz Zahavi in the study of animal communication and behaviour.

Thomson's Gazelle

Species

  • Indian Gazelle, G. bennettii
  • Cuvier's Gazelle, G. cuvieri
  • Dama gazelle, G. dama
  • Dorcas Gazelle, G. dorcas
  • Mountain Gazelle, G. gazella
  • Grant's Gazelle, G. granti
  • Rhim Gazelle, G. leptoceros
  • Red-fronted Gazelle, G. rufifrons
  • Saudi Gazelle, G. saudiya
  • Slender-horned Gazelle, G. leptoceros
  • Soemmerring's Gazelle, G. soemmerringii
  • Speke's Gazelle, G. spekei
  • Goitered Gazelle, G. subgutturosa
  • Thomson's Gazelle, G. thomsonii

This article is about the animal. See also Gazelle, California and GAZelle automobile.

Example Usage of Gazelle

aimokalavainen: @tubbsen Joy in the Morning safe and sound! Agree like tot on the romance. If ever anyone refers to me as a Gazelle, I'll die a happy woman.
NewsFlight: Nayak Aircraft Services wins Golden Gazelle in Amsterdam showing 550% growth; Financieel Dagblad.
_Mish_Mash_: just loved Gazelle - Die Velore Seun (Mix n Blend's Dubstep mix) http://awe.sm/17NRe on @hypem
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