Przewalski's gazelle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Przewalski's gazelle |
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_Procapra_przewalskii.jpg) |
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| Illustration by Philip Sclater in 1894 | |
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| Genus: |
Procapra
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| Species: |
przewalskii
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Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra przewalskii) is a type of gazelle that belongs to the Bovidae family, which includes animals like cows and goats. In the wild, you can only find these special gazelles in China. They used to live in many places, but now they are only found in six small groups near Qinghai Lake. This gazelle is named after Nikolai Przhevalsky, a Russian explorer. He was the first to collect a sample of this animal and bring it back to St. Petersburg in 1875.
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What Does a Przewalski's Gazelle Look Like?
Przewalski's gazelles are quite small and slender. They have big eyes and short, pointy ears. Their nasal bones are quite large. This might help them breathe in the thin air of the Tibetan plateau.
These gazelles are about 109 to 160 cm (43 to 63 in) long from head to body. They stand about 50 to 70 cm (20 to 28 in) tall at the shoulder. They weigh between 17 and 32 kg (37 and 71 lb). Male gazelles are usually bigger and heavier than females. Their tails are very short, only 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 in) long. The tail is often completely hidden by their fur.
The fur of a Przewalski's gazelle is yellowish-brown. Their underside is white. They have a white, heart-shaped patch on their rump. A light brown line partly divides this patch. Males are darker in color than females. In winter, the fur of both sexes looks more grayish. Their fur does not have an undercoat. It is made only of thick guard hairs.
Male Przewalski's gazelles have ridged horns. These horns grow between their eyes and curve inwards at the tips. When males are younger, the tips of their horns might even touch. But as they get older, the horns spread apart. Adult horns can be 18 to 26 cm (7.1 to 10.2 in) long. Female gazelles do not have horns.
Przewalski's gazelle looks a lot like the Tibetan gazelle and the Mongolian gazelle. They are closely related and live in similar areas. The Przewalski's gazelle is in between the other two species in size. You can tell them apart most easily by the shape of their horns.
Where Do Przewalski's Gazelles Live?
Until the early 1900s, Przewalski's gazelles lived across many high plateaus. These areas were in northwestern China and Inner Mongolia. However, they are now only found in one small area. This area is around Qinghai Lake. They have disappeared from most of their old homes.
These gazelles live in flat, open valleys and steppeland between mountains. They also live in sand dunes and semi-desert areas around lakes.
Scientists have described two types of Przewalski's gazelles. However, one of them is now thought to be extinct:
- P. przewalskii przewalskii - Found in Qinghai
- P. przewalskii diversicornis † - Used to live in Gansu and the Ordos Loop region
How Do Przewalski's Gazelles Live?
Przewalski's gazelles mainly eat sedges and grasses. They also eat herbs and shrubs, like Astragalus. You can often see them eating near Tibetan gazelles. But they don't compete for food. This is because Tibetan gazelles prefer to eat legumes. Living together in larger groups might help protect both types of gazelles from animals that hunt them.
These gazelles usually travel in small groups. There are rarely more than twelve animals together. However, in the 1800s, much larger herds were seen. This was when there were more gazelles overall. Male gazelles are often alone or in small groups of two or three. This is true for most of the year. But they join small herds with females during the winter mating season.
Przewalski's gazelles are usually quiet. But they have been heard making short bleating sounds.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Przewalski's gazelles have their mating season from late December to early January. Males mark small areas with their scent. They also fight with other males using their horns. Females have also been seen fighting to get close to males. During courtship, the male moves towards the female while standing on his back legs. After this, they mate quickly.
Pregnancy lasts about six months. So, the young are born around May or June. The mother gives birth to one baby. This usually happens in thick bushes or tall grass. This helps to hide the baby from animals that might hunt it. The young gazelle can follow its mother within a few minutes of being born. But they might stay hidden for a few days before joining the rest of the herd. Females can have babies when they are about 18 months old. We don't know exactly how long Przewalski's gazelles live. But based on similar animals, it's probably around eight years.
Protecting Przewalski's Gazelles
Przewalski's gazelle might be one of the most endangered species of large mammals on Earth. Many things threaten them. These include competition with farm animals for food. Fences also block their natural habitat. These problems have gotten worse as more land is used for farming.
Now, Chinese law protects these gazelles. Illegal hunting is no longer a big problem. But a large part of their home has already been lost because of human activities. Because of this, the IUCN lists them as an endangered species. Before, people thought there were only about 250 left. They were considered critically endangered. However, we now know this was too low. New groups of gazelles were found in 2003 and 2006. It was believed there were 350-400 (and possibly more) adult gazelles left. By 2020, the number of gazelles was over 2,700. But the species still faces serious threats.
See also
