“Many gazelles perform high leaps called stotting or pronking.”
Gazelles are light, swift antelopes of African and Asian grasslands, scrub, and deserts. Herd vigilance, rapid acceleration, and high bounding leaps help them detect and evade predators, while flexible browsing lets many species cope with seasonal vegetation.
By An Nguyen · Published · Updated
Measured against the 178 species profiled on this site. Each figure is converted to one unit system from the published range on the page, so the ranks are computed, not quoted.
| Measure | This species | Rank here | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body mass | 74.8 kg | #58 of 178#42 of 91 Mammalia | 68% |
| Body length | 1.68 m | #61 of 178#40 of 91 Mammalia | 65% |
| Top speed | 96.6 km/h | #5 of 77#2 of 47 Mammalia | 95% |
| Lifespan in the wild | 12 yr | #114 of 171#64 of 86 Mammalia | 29% |
Closest in body mass
Ranks use the upper end of each published adult range, so they compare typical large adults rather than records, and metrics with no published number are left out rather than estimated. The full table is downloadable from the species dataset, and any two species can be put side by side in the comparison tool.
Browse gazelle photographs—from fast-running herds to hidden fawns in dry grass.
Click any photo to view it larger. 8 images available.
Core article
A closer look at habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and conservation.
Gazelles are slender antelopes of the savannas and deserts of Africa and Asia. Some species can reach bursts near 60 miles per hour and make rapid changes of direction while escaping predators such as cheetahs. Vigilance and short, fast runs are central to their survival on open ground.
Gazelles are small to medium antelopes, spanning by species from 3 to 5.5 feet in body length, 2 to 3 feet at the shoulder, and 26 to 165 pounds. Long, slender lower-leg bones ending in small hooves reduce the energy cost of each stride, and most species — both sexes — carry ringed, curved horns for fighting and defense. Large eyes set to the side provide a broad field of view, while mobile ears help detect approaching predators. A network of vessels called the carotid rete cools blood before it reaches the brain during exertion. Gazelles belong to the family Bovidae, among the "true antelopes."
Gazelle species form a broad band across Africa — especially East and North Africa — and reach deep into the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and the steppes of Central Asia. They are animals of open, arid country: tropical savanna, short-grass plains, semi-arid shrubland, and true desert. They avoid dense woodland and closed forest, where their whole survival strategy — seeing danger early and outrunning it — falls apart.
As ruminants, gazelles ferment fibrous plants in a four-chambered stomach, and they switch feeding strategies with the season. In the wet season they graze nutrient-rich short grasses; as those dry out, they browse instead, using narrow muzzles and mobile lips to pluck tender leaves, shoots, and seed pods from thorny acacia. Many desert species, like Grant's gazelle, can go long stretches without drinking, pulling most of their water from foliage and feeding at night or dawn when dew coats the plants.
Gazelles are gregarious, forming loose herds from a dozen animals to seasonal aggregations of thousands, the extra eyes making a stalking predator easier to spot. When one is detected, a gazelle often does something counterintuitive: instead of bolting it "stots," springing straight up on stiff legs to land on all fours. Biologists read this as an honest signal to the predator — "I've seen you and I'm fit enough to escape, don't bother." In the rut, dominant males turn territorial, marking grass stems with preorbital-gland scent and defending harems in clashing horn fights.
Breeding is timed so births line up with seasonal rains and fresh growth. After 5 to 6 months' gestation the female leaves the herd for cover and bears a single, well-developed fawn. It can stand and nurse within minutes but cannot yet outrun predators, so it uses a "hider" strategy: the mother leaves it in tall grass and returns briefly to nurse, while camouflage and low scent reduce detection by jackals and eagles. After several weeks it is strong enough to join the herd. First-year mortality is high; survivors can live 10 to 12 years in the savanna.
Gazelle status varies sharply by species — from Least Concern for Thomson's gazelle to Critically Endangered for the dama gazelle — and many populations are trending down. Natural predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs don't threaten the species; the collapses are human-driven. Unregulated overhunting for meat and sport has gutted populations across North Africa and the Middle East, while farmland expansion and overgrazing by livestock starve wild herds and sever their migration routes, stranding shrinking, isolated groups.
Many gazelles perform high leaps called stotting or pronking.
Gazelles can make sharp turns while running at high speed.
A baby gazelle is called a fawn.
Gazelles often live in herds that help them watch for predators.
Wide eyes on the sides of the head help gazelles spot danger.
Some gazelles can go a long time with little standing water.
Select a question to reveal the answer.
Gazelles live in parts of Africa and Asia, especially grasslands, savannas, and other open habitats.
Gazelles are herbivores. They eat grasses, leaves, herbs, and tender shoots.
Many gazelles can run about 50 to 60 miles per hour and make quick turns to escape predators.
Gazelles may leap high to show they are strong, confuse predators, or help the herd notice danger.
Yes. Many gazelles live in herds, which helps them watch for danger and move together across open country.
Some gazelle species are doing fairly well, while others are in trouble. This page uses a general gazelle profile, so local conservation status can differ by species.
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