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What does it look like? Perhaps taken from the Arabic word "ghazal" which means "bright-eyed", slender-horned gazelles have big, dark eyes and long ears. Their fifteen-inch long, ringed horns are slightly curved, tapering to a point. A pale sandy color with faint flank stripes and white under sides, slender-horned gazelles' faded coloration is excellent camouflage against uninterrupted sand. Splayed hooves increase foot surface for walking on deep, extensive stretches of sand dunes. These small gazelles measure up to 28 inches at the shoulder. Where in the world? While their former habitat was the sandy lowlands and dunes of the Sahara desert of Egypt west to Algeria, slender-horned gazelles are now extinct in the wild. In the United States, they exist in captivity at various parks in California, Texas and Kansas. What does it eat? Traveling in small bands in the wild, slender-horned gazelles eat tender leaves and grasses. As a ruminant, gazelles swallow large, unchewed amounts of hard-to-digest cellulose material during feeding, then retires to a safe place to chew their cud and slowly digest. In captivity, slender-horned gazelle eat alfalfa hay, grain and mineral supplements. They can go long periods without water, and conserve moisture and energy by resting during the hot midday. What are some characteristics and behavior? Slender-horns display the nervous vigilance typical of prey animals. Their immediate defense is alertness and speed. They signal alarm by a snort or flick of the tail, and the herd reaction is to withdraw to a safe distance. Their horns are used for display during courtship. Courtship territorial "fighting" is highly ritualized, usually settled by threats and intimidation rather than serious injury. What about offspring? Mating takes place in the fall with a five month gestation period. Young, often twins, are on their feet within minutes of being born. In the wild, the young would lie out in shrubs or high grass while the mother foraged in the open. Mothers call their young to nurse with a snorting sound. Is it threatened or endangered? In 1972, slender-horned gazelles were declared endangered by the IUCN with only 10 known alive, and those in captivity. In 1981, five of the world herd (numbering only 48) were relocated to The Living Desert from the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The Living Desert's cooperation in the captive breeding program to save this critically endangered species has been a huge success. Over the years, 41 have been born at The Living Desert. Many have been relocated to other zoos to insure genetic diversity.   Dorcas Gazelle
The Dorcas is one of the smallest of all gazelles, only 21 inches tall at the shoulder. It is fawn-colored with a white rump and belly and an indistinct band. Mhorr Gazelle   Among the largest gazelle, mhorrs measure up to 30 inches at the shoulder   SLENDER-HORNED GAZELLE, RHIM Gazella leptoceros The slender-horned gazelle was described by F. Cuvier in 1842.  One of the palest gazelle species, its creamy colour provides camouflage in its native desert habitat, and also gives this delicate ungulate its other name - the sand gazelle. Ghazal (Arabic) a wild goat; -ellus (Latin) diminutive suffix.  Leptos (Greek) thin; keras (Greek) the horn of an animal. GENERAL INFORMATION Size Body Length: 100-110 cm / 3.3-3.6 ft. Shoulder Height: 65-72 cm / 2.1-2.4 ft. Tail Length: 15-20 cm / 6-8 in. Weight: 20-30 kg / 44-66 lb. . Description The slender-horned gazelle is the palest gazelle species, with a cream or yellow-white coloured body.  The undersides are pure white, and there is a faint flank stripe.  The facial markings are relatively faint, and are composed of a reddish nose stripe and bands running from the eyes to the nose.  The slender ears are situated behind the horns, which are found in both sexes.  In males, they are long, slender, and slighly "S" shaped, growing 30-41 cm / 1-1.3 feet long.  In females, they are singificantly smaller and slimmer, growing 20-38 cm / 8-15.2 inches in length.  The hoofs are somewhat broadened to ease travel on long stretches of sand. . Reproduction Gestation Period: 156-169 days. Young per Birth: 1 . Life Cycle Weaning: At about 3 months. Sexual Maturity: Females at 6-9 months, males at 18 months. Life span: 14 years. . Habits Due to the extreme heat of its desert environment, the slender-horned gazelle feeds mostly at night and in the early morning.  At these times they are able to exploit the dew which has formed on the leaves and the higher water content in the plants.  All needed water is obtained in this fashion - slender-horned gazelles rarely need to drink water.  The slender-horned gazelle is a nomadic species, wandering the dunes in search of vegetation.  The main cooling mechanisms are the reflective white coat and a specially adapted nasal passage which allows for cooling of the blood.  Deceptively mild-mannered in appearance, slender-horned gazelles are known to become aggressive in captivity.  Males often battle fiercely when defending the loose territories they establish. . Lifestyle Family group: Male and female groups of 2-20 individuals. Diet: Grasses, leaves. Main Predators: Cheetah, Cape hunting dog, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, where still present in range. . Status The slender-horned gazelle is classified as endangered by the IUCN (1996). . Habitat Isolated pockets throughout the central Sahara Desert.