Grant's Gazelle: Gazella granti
Large-sized gazelle of the East African plains.
Characteristics
Weight and Height
males: wt 143 lb (65 kg), ht 34-35 in (84-91 cm)
females: wt 99 lb (45 kg), ht 30-33 in (75-83 cm)
Horns
Males have long thick neck and thick horns 20 to 32 in (50-80 cm) long. Females have thin horns which are typically 12 to 18 in (30 - 45 cm) long.
Color
Pale to dark tan with white underparts. There are dark markings on the thighs, face, and sides -- these markings range from dark to light in color and are sometimes nonexistent in females.
General Locations
The Somali-Masai Arid Zone, ranging from southern Sudan and Ethiopia to northern Tanzania; also from the Kenyan coast to Lake Victoria. Grant's Gazelle can be seen in the following national parks: Tsavo, Amboseli, Nairobi, Sibiloi, and Meru NP, Masai Mara, Samburu-Isiolo, and Shaba NR, Kenya; Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti and Tarangire NP, Tanzania.
Habitat
Grant's Gazelles generally inhabit lowland thornbush, savanna woodland, open plains, and montane grasslands. Since Grant's Gazelles are water-independent, they are able to graze in areas where most other herbivores cannot graze. During the dry season, many Grant's Gazelles migrate to the short-grass plains and during the rainy season to heavily wooded areas. It is important to note that this migration is the opposite of the main migration of most other African species. Grant's Gazelles have also been seen sharing wet-season ranges with Thomson's Gazelle.
Since Grant's Gazelles are browsers/grazers, they rarely or never drink water directly because they receive all of their water from leaves, etc. that they eat.
Activity
Grant's Gazelles are both nocturnal and diurnal, though activity seems to peak early and late in the day.
Social System
Large herds can often be found on open plains and generally calved close to hills on kopjes. Some of the largest herds comprise 400 members, such as the herds in the Serengeti, for example. In these large herds there are typically several territorial males which share dominance depending on which territory the herd is on.
Herds with only one male can often also be found, usually comprising 10 females and totalling 2 to 32 members.
Male offspring generally stay with female tribes for one full year before being evicted. At that point the offspring will join the bachelor herds.
Males become territorial at the age of 3. Territories are generally 1 to 3.9 sq mi (2.5-10 sq km) which by most standards is considered quite large. Some of the largest ranges ever observed are 8 sq mi (20 sq km).
Reproduction
Mating usually peaks in the periods December to February and August through September in East Africa. Gestation is 6.5 months and most females conceive by 1.5 years. Males begin breeding by the age of 3 if they have successfully gained territory.
Predators
Spotted hyena, cheetah, leopard, and wild dog. Jackals have been seen attacking fawns.
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