Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae
Gerenuk
Litocranius walleri
Near Threatened
It could become threatened in the near future if current threats go unchecked.
The gerenuk, or giraffe gazelle, is an antelope of extraordinary proportions: a very long neck, slender legs and a small head with large ears. It lives in the arid thorn scrub of the Horn of Africa, where it browses the leaves of acacias and other shrubs. Its speciality is feeding upright on its hind legs, propping its forelegs against the branches, which gives it access to a layer of vegetation that no other antelope of its size can reach. It has virtually no need to drink.
Weight
28 kg – 52 kg
Size
1.4 m – 1.6 m
Life expectancy
13 years
