My Temple of Nature: Graceful Gerenuks

Did you know that there are 91 species of antelope? Here in the U.S. the pronghorn comes to mind.

But, in fact, the pronghorn is not a true antelope; its closest relative is in the giraffe family.

Most species of true antelopes are found in Africa. The familiar Thomson's gazelle is part of that group...

Source: Wikipedia

as is the gemsbok, a southern Africa native.

Source: Wikipedia

There are more unfamiliar members of the family - like the very unusual and critically endangered saiga. With its strange flexible nose, it is one of the Eurasian representatives and is now only found in small areas of Russia and Kazakhstan.

Source: Wikipedia

The addax, an inhabitant of the Saharan desert and also known as the screwhorn antelope, is a member.

Source: Wikipedia

But my new favorite antelope species is the gerenuk. There is just something totally appealing about this slender, graceful, delicate-looking animal that reminds me of a painstakingly-carved Egyptian statue. Especially knowing that the unappealing, unintelligent-looking (sorry, but it's true!) bulky wildebeest is in the same family. (You couldn't find a more opposite body type.)

Wildebeest Source: Wikipedia

The gerenuk's name actually means 'giraffe-necked' and you can see why.

Source: Wikipedia

Look at those slender legs. The gerenuk with its big ears and small face lives in the scrub and desert areas of east Africa. The most unusual thing about it is that its normal feeding position is standing on its hind legs getting the best, tender leaves off very thorny acacia trees and other succulent plants.

Source: Wikipedia

The gerenuk can also reach fruit, buds, and flowers this way. They need very little water to survive, getting most of the moisture they need from the food they eat.

Another difference between the gerenuk and other antelopes is that it is not really a herd animal. You can see wildebeest in herds of hundreds or thousands, but the gerenuk travels in small groups of 5 to 10 individuals - related females with young and male bachelor groups. Females give birth every one to two years, depending on the sex of the previous baby. Males depend on their moms longer than females because they are not weaned until they are 1 1/2 years old, while females are weaned after their first year. Males stay with mom until they are two or more years old. Once they leave their mom's group, males are solitary when they've claimed a territory.