Speke's gazelle

Spekegazelle at the San Diego Zoo

The Spekegazelle ( Gazelle spekei ) is an African antelope, named after the British explorer John Hanning Speke.

Exterior Features

It is a small slender gazelle with a beige -brown fur. Along the trunk extends almost black stripe, which is accompanied by an overlying light streaks. The bottom and the mirror are white, the mirror is edged dark. The tail is 15 to 20 inches long. The horns show broad rings are slightly S-shaped backward curved top and the tips are pointing up. When the goats horns can be up to 30 inches long, with the females they are considerably smaller. You have Voraugendrüsen with which they emit a fragrance. As a special feature they have above the nostrils on the nose three skin folds. The gestation period is about 180 days. Shoulder height: 50 to 60 cm. Weight: 15 to 25 kg. Length: 95 to 105 cm.

Dissemination

The Spekegazelle is largely confined to Somalia and indeed on the southeastern coastal plain on the Indian Ocean. The main distribution area is the Nugaal Valley. Occasionally wander the animals also Ethiopian territory. The distribution area consists of rocky semi-deserts, which are dominated by sparse succulents, aloes, shrubs and sparse desert grass.

Behavior

There they live in small groups of up to 20 animals, scattered together or, depending on the sparse vegetation. You can inflate the above skin folds on the bridge of the nose to the size of a tennis ball. In case of danger, the air is pressed out with pressure and there is a sound like a muffled gunshot.

Endangering

Since the Spekegazelle is poorly understood in the wild, go to the details of the hazard apart. Thus, the species is still relatively far in their former area common, although the population has fallen sharply in many places by competition from livestock grazing and hunting. From the IUCN is classified as endangered ( high risk ), because the distribution is very limited and due to the political instability of the region, there is no effective protected area. However, there are breeding groups of Spekegazelle in captivity.