The Houston Zoo is home to a lot of animals, and some of them are often overlooked. This series of blog entries is focused on the animals that you may have missed on your last visit.
Dorcas Gazelle at the Houston Zoo
In our largest hoofstock exhibit at the zoo we have giant eland, zebras, and warthogs. Also in this yard is a dorcas gazelle. As the smallest of the gazelle species, he often gets missed amongst the giants of the yard.
These desert gazelles are well-adapted to their dry, hot home. In the wild, they can go their entire lives without ever taking a drink of water. They get all the moisture they need from the plants they eat. They are found in the Middle East, North Africa, and even the Sahara Desert. Like many animals that survive where the temperatures are extreme, dorcas gazelles are crepuscular, saving their activity for the twilight of dusk and dawn when the temperatures are milder.
While they are usually quiet, gazelles do make a few interesting noises; they bark in warning to each other, and growl when they are annoyed. They also bounce with their head high to both avoid predators and warn the other members of the herd.
Our male is usually found on the side of the exhibit closest to the nyala antelope, and sometimes gets mistaken for a baby animal. But don’t be fooled; he was born in 1994, which makes him very old for a gazelle.
Of course, no animal is guaranteed to be visible on every visit. Even if you know where to look, you might still miss the animal if it is off exhibit or hiding especially well when you visit. Just don’t miss him amongst the other, larger hoofed animals in the yard!
Leigh, these are wonderful posts. When we visit the zoo we tend to go back again and again to see our favorite animals. Only when I was doing docent training did I find myself discovering just how many more animals and exhibits there are — with more soon to come.
I’ve really appreciated learning more about the ones I might have seen but not known as much about. You give the inside story as well as species facts, which really adds extra interest. You remind me that if you love animals, you can really enjoy them ALL, not just your favorites (KIVA!! Jonathan!!).
Rochelle
Aww! It’s name is dorcas!