East Africa Wildlife: Grant’s Gazelle

Grant Gazelle

Grant’s gazelles are a closely related to Antelopes. They are herbivorous and inhabit plains of grasslands. They usually have large salivary glands, possibly an adaptation for secreting fluid to cope with a relatively dry diet in the dry grasslands they inhabit.

Fact Sheet

Common name: Grant’s Gazelle

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Genus: Gazella

Species: Granti

Where to find the Grant’s Gazelle

They are found of open grass plains, and although they frequent bushy savannas, they avoid bushes or high grass. In Uganda it can be found in Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley National Parks. In Kenya, they are common in Masai Mara and Sweetwater plains as well as Serengeti of Tanzania.

What the Grant’s Gazelle Eats

They diet according to season they eat herbs, foliage from shrubs, short grasses and shoot. They obtain the moisture they need from their food. They typically remain in the open during the heat of the day, suggesting they posses an efficient system to retain water.

gazelle

How to identify the Grant’s Gazelle

Grant’s gazelle resettle Thomson’s gazelles, but are noticeable larger and easily distinguished by the broad white patch on the rump that extends upward onto the back. The white patch on Thomason’s gazelle stops at the tail. Some varieties of Grant’s hr a black stripe on each side of the body like the Thomason’s, in others the stripe is very light or absent. A black stripe runs down the thigh. It’s tyre-shaped horns are short at the base, clearly ringed. On females, black skin surrounds the teach, with white hair on the udder.

Behavior

They live in standard territorial, male led herd regulated males develop several ritualized postures to determine dominance young males will fight but as they grow older, the ritualized displays often take the place of fight if neither combatant is intimidated, they many confront one another and clash horn, trying to throw the other off balance.