Gazelles

Gazelles, a type of antelope who live primarily in the East African plains, can be found as far east as Mongolia. They tend to travel in herds of 5 to 10 gazelles although they have been known to gather in herds of several hundred. They are characterized by two long and slender horns, a dark stripe running along the side of the body, and white bellies. Typical gazelles are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh up to 55 pounds. There are about 12 species of gazelles. Thomson’s gazelles, or Tommies, are the most common in East Africa.

The behavior of Tommies in the face of danger has caused widespread discussion and speculation by hunters, naturalists, and scientists. When a gazelle spots a cheetah, it springs straight up in the air to heights of as much as 2 feet. This particular phenomenon is called “stotting.” Stotting appears to be counterproductive, using up precious time and energy that could otherwise be used in flight. Recent studies have concluded that stotting is a gazelle’s message to the predator that it has been seen. It discourages the cheetah from giving chase, which, in turn, allows the gazelle to save its energy for more urgent situations.

Gazelles will only stott if a cheetah is too far away to be a serious threat. Cheetahs can sprint at speeds up to 70 miles per hour but only for short periods of time. Gazelles can sustain speeds of up to 50 miles per hour for longer periods of time. Because of this, most cheetahs need to be within 90 feet of a gazelle in order to have a good chance for a capture. If this is the case, gazelles refrain from stotting and break into a full run. Usually gazelles are captured under such circumstances although they occasionally avoid cheetahs by making a series of sharp turns.

Thomson’s Gazelles exhibit stotting behavior. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cheetahs, the smallest of the big cats, also feed on hares, warthogs, wildebeest, and zebras. They are about the same height as gazelles and weigh anywhere from 55 to 145 pounds. The fastest land animals in the world, cheetahs use a long tail for balance and sharp, non-retractable claws for traction. A cheetah will stalk its prey in an attempt to gain the advantage of a short chase. Cheetahs will knock down their prey during a high-speed chase and strangle its victim by the throat.

Despite their speed and agility, cheetahs are among the gentlest and most vulnerable of the big cats. Other predators victimize them and their lack of genetic diversity put cheetahs at risk of disease. Because of this, most cheetahs live only 4 or 5 years in the wild.