Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Gerenuk

Litocranius walleri

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

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

Lifespan

13 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

SavannaDesertGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal Near Threatened Savanna Desert Grassland Mammal

5countries 4parks86same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt feeds standing on its hind legs to reach high branches, and can live without drinking.
comportamientoIt can stand on its hind legs, propped against a tree trunk, to reach leaves other savannah grazers cannot.
It feeds standing on its hind legs, body almost vertical, reaching branches more than two metres off the ground: it is the only antelope that habitually adopts that posture.
It never drinks: it gets all its water from the leaves it browses, which lets it live in areas with no permanent water at all.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Arid thorn scrub and bush savannah of the Horn of Africa and East Africa
Sexual maturity: 11.8 months
Gestation / incubation: 6.7 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/