Dorcas Gazelle

Small ungulate, i.e. a hoofed mammal, the Dorcas gazelle is distributed throughout the deserts of North Africa, from the Mediterranean to the southern Sahel and from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. Despite its fragile and elegant appearance, it is an animal that withstands very harsh environmental conditions.

Its horns are ringed, lyre-shaped, and are part of the morphology of the male and female. This gazelle has a color similar to the sand of its habitat: soft brown on the upper part, and whitish on the abdomen.

Some of these gazelles live in isolation, although most of them live in more or less numerous groups that occupy their own territory.

They feed mainly on hard grasses, succulent plants and acacia leaves. 

In Africa, mating takes place from August to October, when males in heat emit sounds and mount the female. The female separates from the group to give birth, and after six months of gestation a single calf is born. Lactation lasts about two or three months.

The main enemies of this species are lions, cheetahs, leopards and wild dogs. To escape from them, they do it quickly, making spectacular jumps (in fact, it is their best defense system).