Slender-horned Gazelle

Facts

IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)

Facts about this animal

The Slender-horned gazelles are the palest of all gazelles, and the most desert-adapted, able to survive on dew and the moisture in vegetation. The males' horns are long, almost straight and grow to ca. 41 cm, the females' are smaller. They have slightly enlarged hooves for walking on sand. The head-body length is about 1 m, the weight is 20-30 kg.

Their populations are highly fragmented and often isolated. The Slender-horned Gazelle-also named the Rhim Gazelle-has suffered through habitat loss and is hunted for meat and its horns.

Did you know?
that the slender-horned gazelle is one of the palest, and also the most desert-adapted, of all gazelle species ? Its creamy colour provides camouflage in its native desert habitat, and also gives this delicate ungulate its other name - the sand gazelle.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	BOVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Gazella leptoceros
Name (English)	Slender-horned Gazelle
Name (French)	Gazelle à cornes fines, Rhim
Name (German)	Dünengazelle
Name (Spanish)	Rhim
Local names	Thim, Riehm, Ghazal, Abiad (Arabic), Akukri (Tuareg)
CITES Status	Appendix I
CMS Status	Appendix I

Photo Copyright by
FisherQueen

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Northern Africa
Habitat	Sandy and stony deserts
Wild population	Just a few hundred and decreasing (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	109 reported to ISIS

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Trisha Shears

Why do zoos keep this animal

The slender-horn gazelle is rated endangerd and populations in the wilkd are declining. Therefore, an International Studbook and, in North America, a regional coordinated breeding programme have been established with a view of maintaining a self-sustaining ex situ population.

How this animal should be kept

Slender-horned gazelles should be kept in social groups of one adult male and several females with their offspring. For up to five adult animals an outdoor enclosure of at least 500 m² is required, which should be enlarged by 50 m² for each additional adult. The enclosure should be well structured, frequently used areas, e.g. at the entrance to the stables, should be paved. The soil should be well drained, sand or marly limestone are suitable substrates if the enclosure is not large enough to sustain agrass cover. Landscaping may involve tree roots, large natural stones or trees. Indoors 4 m² should be provided.

The indoor stabling, which is required in colder climatic zones, is dry and free of drafts, and it is heated to 14-16 degrees Celsius during winter.

In the wild, Slender-horned gazelles browse on various desert shrubs, but also feed on the rough desert grasses, succulents, and herbs. The diet should therefore be high-proteine, comprising lucerne hay ad lib., fresh or dried browse, fresh lucerne/grass mixture (only summer), pellets especially for browsers etc.