Table of Contents
What is the height of a gerenuk?
between 3 and 3.5 feet tall
Gerenuks’ most recognizable features are long, strong, thin legs and long slender necks. They are between 3 and 3.5 feet tall (90-105 cm) at the shoulder; range from 4.6 to 5.3 feet (140-160 cm) long; and weigh between 65 and 110 pounds (30-50 kg).
Is a gerenuk an antelope?
The gerenuk, whose name means “giraffe-necked” in Somali, is an exceptionally long-necked antelope. Like many other gazelles, these large antelopes have preorbital glands in front of the eyes that emit a tar-like, scent-bearing substance they deposit on twigs and bushes to mark their territory.
How long does a gerenuk live?
around 8 years
Females bleat very softly when communicating with their young. The life span of the gerenuk is around 8 years in the wild and 13 year in captivity.
Is the gerenuk related to the giraffe?
The common name derives from the Somali name for the animal (gáránúug); the first recorded use of the name dates back to 1895. It is also known as the “giraffe gazelle” due to its similarity to the giraffe. Two subspecies have been proposed, but these are considered to be independent species by some authors.
Does gerenuk drink water?
This unique-looking antelope, called a gerenuk can survive its entire life without ever taking a drink of water. Instead, the gerenuk derives water from the foliage that it eats. To better reach this foliage it has evolved a long, slender neck upon which is perched a disproportionately small head.
Do lions eat gerenuk?
Gerenuks are browsers, not grazers. They favor trees and thorn bush and can stand on their hind legs, and elongate their neck to get higher leaves and branches than can other antelope. They will also eat fruit, flowers, new buds, and plants. Lion, cheetah, leopard, and jackals also hunt gerenuks in Africa.
What kind of animal is a gerenuk?
antelope
gerenuk, (Litocranius walleri), also called Waller’s gazelle, the longest-necked member of the gazelle tribe (Antilopini, family Bovidae), a browsing antelope of the lowland arid thornbush of the Horn of Africa. The gerenuk’s shoulder height is 80–105 cm (31–41 inches), and the animal weighs 28–52 kg (62–114 pounds).
Is gerenuk endangered?
Near Threatened (Population decreasing)
Gerenuk/Conservation status
Is a giraffe in the antelope family?
There are over ninety-one different types of antelopes (most of which are native to Africa), however, what many people don’t realize is that the giraffe, okapi, and prong-horned antelope — are all not related to true antelopes.
How tall is a gerenuk and how much does it weigh?
On their head are scimitar shaped horns which are black in colour. A gerenuk female stands 80-100cm (31.5-39.4in) tall. The male is taller standing 89-105cm (35-41in) tall. They will measure about 1.5m (5ft). The male gerenuk weighs about 45kg (99lb) while the female weighs 30kg (66lb).
How big does a gerenuk antelope get?
The sole member of the genus Litocranius, the gerenuk was first described by the naturalist Victor Brooke in 1879. It is characterised by its long, slender neck and limbs. The antelope is 80–105 centimetres (2 feet 7 inches–3 feet 5 inches) tall, and weighs between 28 and 52 kilograms (62 and 115 pounds).
What kind of life does a gerenuk have?
Gerenuks are highly social creatures, forming small, single-sex herds of 2 – 6 individuals, although all-female herds may sometimes contain juveniles. Meanwhile, males occasionally prefer living solitarily. Gerenuks are generally peaceful animals and rarely fight.
Who was the first person to describe the gerenuk?
The sole member of the genus Litocranius, the gerenuk was first described by the naturalist Victor Brooke in 1878. It is characterised by its long, slender neck and limbs.