“Gazelles are antelopes in the family Bovidae; the name covers more than one genus.”
Gazelles are herbivorous antelopes of African and Asian grasslands, scrub and deserts. Some graze short grass; others browse leaves and shoots. This group overview uses Thomson's and Grant's gazelles to show why diet, size and conservation status differ by species.
By An Nguyen · Published · Updated
Gazella/Eudorcas/Nanger Artiodactyla Bovidae
Browse gazelle photographs—from fast-running herds to hidden fawns in dry grass.
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Core article
A closer look at habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and conservation.
Gazelles eat grasses, leaves, herbs and tender shoots. They are herbivorous antelopes, but the balance of grazing and browsing differs between species. Thomson's and Grant's gazelles illustrate that difference on East African plains.
A grazer eats grasses; a browser takes leaves and stems from woody plants. Thomson's gazelles commonly graze short grass and also eat seeds, twigs and leaves. They can feed on tender growth exposed after zebras and wildebeest have cropped taller vegetation.
Grant's gazelles browse more heavily on leaves and stems, while also eating herbs, shoots and short grasses. They obtain moisture from their food and can use relatively dry habitat. Those differences mean that two gazelles sharing a plain need not depend on exactly the same plants or move together as conditions change.
All these foods place gazelles among herbivores. A gazelle being prey for a carnivore does not change its own diet.
“Gazelle” is a group name, rather than one species. It includes animals in the genera Gazella, Eudorcas and Nanger, within the family Bovidae. Thomson's gazelle is Eudorcas thomsonii; Grant's gazelle is Nanger granti. Older sources may place them in Gazella.
For identification, Grant's is generally larger, with a white rump patch extending above the tail. Thomson's is smaller, and its white rump patch stops at the tail. Species names matter when comparing a photograph, body measurement or conservation assessment.
Thomson's gazelles inhabit short-grass plains and shrubby savannas in East Africa. Grant's also uses open plains, thornbush and other dry landscapes. A savanna association does not mean every gazelle is an African grassland animal.
In Asia, the goitered gazelle occupies arid and semi-arid country, including parts of Central Asia and Mongolia. The Indian gazelle, or chinkara, uses dry plains, scrub and desert. These are examples of different species' ranges, not one continuous range occupied by every gazelle.
The African Wildlife Foundation gives Thomson's gazelle a top speed of 70 km/h, about 43 mph. Its published adult weight range is 15–35 kg (33–77 lb). Grant's is larger, at 45–65 kg (100–145 lb), with a body length of 140–166 cm (about 4.5–5.5 ft). The quick-fact measurements on this page label their example species; they are not minimum and maximum values for all gazelles.
Speed works alongside vigilance. Gazelles also make stiff-legged leaps called stotting. A jump can be observed directly, but its purpose in a particular encounter requires more evidence than the movement alone.
A baby gazelle is called a fawn. Gestation is about six months in Thomson's and seven in Grant's. Mothers hide newborns in cover and return to nurse them. Being able to stand soon after birth does not mean a fawn immediately travels with a migrating herd.
There is no single Red List status for “gazelle.” The dama gazelle, for example, is Critically Endangered. The label “Varies by species” on this overview is an explanation of its scope, not an IUCN assessment category.
Hunting, habitat conversion and fences that fragment movement routes can affect gazelle populations. Conservation decisions need the species and location: a broad group label cannot show whether a particular population is secure or declining.
Gazelles are antelopes in the family Bovidae; the name covers more than one genus.
Thomson's gazelles can feed on short growth left behind by zebra and wildebeest.
Grant's gazelles obtain much of their moisture from vegetation.
A baby gazelle is called a fawn and can spend its early days hidden in cover.
Gazelles can make stiff-legged leaps called stotting.
Horns are permanent structures, unlike the antlers shed by deer.
Select a question to reveal the answer.
Gazelles are herbivores that eat grasses, leaves, herbs and tender shoots. Thomson's gazelles commonly graze short grass, while Grant's gazelles browse more on leaves and stems. The balance depends on species and available plants.
No. Gazelles eat plants and are classified as herbivores. Cheetahs, lions and other predators may eat gazelles, but that does not make the gazelles carnivorous.
Gazelles occur in Africa and Asia, in habitats ranging from savannas and short-grass plains to scrub and deserts. Thomson's and Grant's gazelles are East African examples; other species have different ranges.
The African Wildlife Foundation reports a top speed of 70 km/h, about 43 mph, for Thomson's gazelle. That is a species-specific figure, not one maximum speed for every gazelle.
A baby gazelle is called a fawn. Thomson's and Grant's gazelle mothers hide their newborns in cover and return to nurse them before the young begin spending more time with the herd.
The stiff-legged jump made with all four feet is called stotting. It can occur around predators, but a leap alone does not establish whether an animal is warning others or signalling to a predator.
There is no single conservation status for all gazelles. For example, the dama gazelle is Critically Endangered. This overview therefore labels status as varying by species rather than assigning the whole group one Red List category.
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