Tammy Grant, age 13, of Jamestown, N.Y., for her question:
IS THE GAZELLE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES?
A favorite animal in many zoos is the slender antelope. It is known for its beauty, grace and gentleness. Of the 25 species found in various parts of the world, about 10 of them are included on the list of endangered animals that could become extinct.
Some of the kinds of gazelles are becoming endangered because cattle herds are eating most of the vegetation or plant life in the dry, open areas where these wild gazelles graze.
Another reason for the problem is that hunters have ignored game laws and have killed hundreds of gazelles every year. Conservationists now tell us that a total ban on gazelle hunting could save some of the endangered species.
The name gazelle comes from an Arabic word that means "to be affectionate."
Gazelles are swift runners and can outrun even the fastest greyhounds. They have large, black eyes and both males and females of most species have round black horns. The horns of some types have ringlike ridges around them, but others are smooth. Usually the horns are U shaped.
The handsome animals have long, narrow, pointed ears and short tails. Their hair is short and smooth. Some gazelles have tufts of hair on the knees.
Most wild gazelles live in the vast area of northern and eastern Africa and Asia. Some of the animals live in the mountain ranges but most live on open, sandy plains.
The familiar light brown gazelle, sometimes called the dorcas or ariel gazelle, is less than two feet tall. It lives in the desert from Morocco east to Arabia and south to the Sudan, where plants are sparse and scrubby.
Gazelles are plant eating animals. One type, called Loder's gazelle, lives in the northern Sahara and eats leaves and berries. The Arabs believe it never drinks.
Grant's gazelle of eastern Africa has longer horns than any other gazelle. Gazelle horns are usually 10 to 15 inches long, but the Grant's gazelle has horns 30 inches or longer.
Grant's gazelles stand about 33 inches high at the shoulder. These animals live in herds of from six to as many as 200. They eat grass and the leaves of shrubs. Grant's gazelles often graze with hartebeests and zebras.
Moat endngered of all gazelles is the Loder's gazelle and two kinds of dorcas gazelles.
Gazelles belong to the bovid famiy, Bovidae. They are genus Gazelle.
Antelope is the name of a large group of animals that have hoofs and hollow horns. They belong to the same animal family as goats and oxen. But they look much more like deer, because most of them are slender and graceful.
Antelope, like cattle, are ruminants. This is a name given to grazing animals that chew their cuds.
Gazelles, like all antelopes, keep their horns as long as they live.