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Gazella dorcas
The Dorcas gazelle lives in grassland regions, steppe, mountain desert and in semi-desert climates throughout Africa, Arabia and into Iran and northern India.
These gazelles are highly adapted to the desert. They can go their entire lives without drinking, getting all of the moisture they need from the plants they eat. If water is available, then they do drink.
Dorcas Gazelles are able to run at speeds of up to 80 km per hour, and when threatened they make bouncing leaps with the head held high to announce that they have seen a predator.
The picture of this gazelle was taken at the zoo of San Diego, California, in March 2004.
Genus Gazella
Subfamily Antilopinae
Family Bovidae
Order Artiodactyla
Subclass Eutheria
Class Mammalia
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
Index