Gazelle - Definition and Overview

Gazelles
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.

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.