Nanger dama has many predators, including jackals, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and lions. Fleeing is their main defense, and they are well adapted for running.
When a Dama gazelle spots a predator, it assumes an alert posture, and often stamps its feet, walks in circles, twitches its flank skin, and snorts in order to warn other members of the tribe.
Known Predators:
Nanger dama has a body with lean legs and a long slender neck. Its glossy coat is characterized by patches of reddish-brown and white. Its face and undersides are always white, its neck is reddish-brown, and its throat always bares a white patch. However, color varies between sub-species. Nanger dama mohrr, the western sub-species, is almost completely red, excluding its undersides and posterior. It also boasts red cheek patches and black stripes which trace from its eyes to the corner of its mouth. The eastern sub-species, Nanger dama ruficollis is mostly white, with its reddish-brown color only showing on its neck and back.
These animals possess horns that are shaped like the letter S; they point back and curl upwards. The horns generally range from 25 to 35 cm in length, with males possessing slightly larger sets than females. They are also sexually dimorphic in size, with females usually weighing 35 to 40 kg, and males ranging anywhere from 40 to 75 kg in weight.
Their basal metabolic rate is relatively high given their body size, as is often the case for members of Artiodactyla.
Range mass: 35 to 75 kg.
Range length: 140 to 168 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; ornamentation
In the wild, members of N. dama generally live up to 12 years. In captivity, they have been known to live into their late teens (18-19).
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 19 (high) years.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 12 (high) years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 12 years.
Generally, Nanger dama is found in arid areas with sparse vegetation. However, its habitat changes slightly throughout the year, as this animal migrates seasonally. Dama gazelles resides on the pastures and plateaus of the Sahara desert during the rainy season, and move to the open bushlands in the dry season. This species avoids the mountains and dunes of the region, instead opting for the flatter, stonier plains. Unfortunately, due to overgrazing by livestock, land development by humans, and long term climate change, the habitat of N. dama has become even drier and somewhat less suitable through the years.
Range elevation: 760 (high) m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland
Dama gazelles were previously recognized under the name Gazella dama.
Most communication in this species is through body language. For example, erect posture in males demonstrates aggressiveness and high rank, and is also used in sexual displays. Males may also angle their heads or ram bushes so as to draw attention to their horns. Submission, on the other hand, is often represented by lowering of the head, or by jutting of the chin. Turning or moving away are also employed as ways to indicate submission. These animals utilize scent as well, as all members of a tribe urinate and defecate as a way of marking their territory against outsiders. Males have been known to snort or sputter during sexual displays.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: pheromones ; scent marks
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
This species was declared vulnerable by the IUCN in 1986, and was later shifted to endangered status in 1990. The continuous decline of N. dama numbers has been attributed to hunting and habitat degradation caused by humans.
Currently, there are efforts in Senegal to increase the Dama gazelle population through semi-captive breedings programs.
US Federal List: endangered
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: critically endangered
Grazing by N. dama can take food away from livestock, negatively impacting humans involved in the business of raising animals.
Humans hunt gazelles for their meat and horns.
Positive Impacts: food ; body parts are source of valuable material
Nanger dama controls the spread of Acacia trees by grazing on their leaves. These gazelles are also a source of food for many of the carnivores that live and hunt on the plains.
Nanger dama is a grazer, feeding on shrubs, herbs, coarse desert grasses, and Acacia tree leaves. These gazelles often stand on their hind legs in a bipedal fashion in order to reach the higher leaves of these trees. Members of this species are able to get most of the water they need from the plants they eat.
Plant Foods: leaves
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )
Nanger dama inhabits the countries of the African Sahel and Sahara Desert. At one time, the range of this mammal extended as far as Morocco and Egypt. However, excessive hunting has reduced their range to only the area between Senegal (where it was re-introduced) and Sudan.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native ); ethiopian (Native )
The mating season can begin as early as August and end as late as October. During this time, males become territorial and engage in behaviors that indicate their aggressiveness and status. They usually urinate or defecate to mark their territory and horn the grass to advertise their strength and high status. Males also herd and chase to keep females in their vicinities and other rival males away.
The courtship behaviors of males usually include prancing, nose-lifting, upright posture, kicking of their forelegs, and touching, nibbling, or licking of the female with their muzzles. Some males may even resort to sputtering or snoring to get the attention of a mate.
A receptive female often walks in circles, makes sharp turns, and holds out her tail to indicate that she is ready to mate. The male mounts by standing behind her on his hind legs, with his forelegs curled in toward his own body. It is common for the female to continue moving during copulation.
Mating System: polygynous ; cooperative breeder
Mating generally occurs between the months of August and October, although it has been known to occur year-round in captivity. The estrous cycle of female N. dama usually lasts about 19 days, although it can be as short as 16 days or as long as 22 days.
Generally, this species gives birth to one offspring at a time, although in rare circumstances, twins are born.
Immediately after birth, mothers keep newborns sequestered from the rest of the herd. After a few days, however, the young are usually strong enough to follow their mothers around the grasslands and be seen by other members of the herd.
Breeding interval: Dama gazelles breed once a year.
Breeding season: In the wild, mating usually occurs between the months of August and October.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Range gestation period: 5.5 to 6 months.
Range weaning age: 3 to 4 months.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1.5 to 2 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
The mothers of this species invest lots of energy in protecting their young. It is quite common for two females to team up in defending their offspring, as pairs of females can often be observed chasing and attacking jackals that are hunting young gazelles.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female); post-independence association with parents
The dama gazelle (Nanger dama), also known as the addra gazelle or mhorr gazelle, is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa, in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. A critically endangered species, it has disappeared from most of its former range due to overhunting and habitat loss, and natural populations only remain in Chad, Mali, and Niger. Its habitat includes grassland, shrubland, semi-deserts, open savanna and mountain plateaus.[1] Its diet includes shrubs, herbs, grasses, leaves (especially Acacia leaves), shoots, and fruit.[4]
In Niger, the dama gazelle has become a national symbol. Under the Hausa name meynacode: hau promoted to code: ha or ménascode: hau promoted to code: ha ,[5] the dama gazelle appears on the badge of the Niger national football team, who are popularly called the Ménas.[6][7]
The dama gazelle is white with a reddish-brown head and neck. Both sexes usually have medium-length ringed horns curved like an "S". Males' horns are about 35 cm (14 in) long, while females' horns are much shorter. The head is small with a narrow muzzle, and the eyes are relatively large. It has a longer neck and longer legs than most gazelles. It is between 90 and 95 cm (35 and 37 in) tall at the shoulder,[8] weighs between 35 and 75 kg (77 and 165 lb), and has a lifespan up to 12 years in the wild or 18 in captivity.[9] A few days following birth, dama young are strong enough to follow the herd, and after a week, they are able to run as fast as the adults. The dama gazelle is considered the largest species of gazelle, with incredibly long legs, which provide extra surface area to dissipate heat, one of the many ways it stays cool in its hot desert environment. It also tends to need more water than some of its desert relatives, but it can withstand fairly long periods of drought. Unlike many other desert mammals, the dama gazelle is a diurnal species, meaning it is active during the day. Always on the alert, the dama gazelle uses a behavior called pronking to warn herd members of danger. Pronking involves the animal hopping up and down with all four of its legs stiff, so that its limbs all leave and touch the ground at the same time. Males also establish territories, and during breeding season, they actively exclude other mature males. They mark their territories with urine and dung piles and secretions from glands near their eyes.
The dama gazelle is generally divided into three subspecies based on the colour of the animal's back, flanks and haunches. These three subspecies occupied three blocks running along the east–west axis of the gazelle's range. The easternmost is the N. dama ruficollis (common name addra gazelle) whose historical range was to the east of 15°E. The westernmost is the N. dama mhorr (common name mohor or mhorr gazelle) whose historical range was to the west of 7°E. Between the two was the historical range of the N. dama dama. Genetic studies have raised questions over the validity of these subspecies and the variation in colour (phenotype) appears to be clinal.[10]
_Gazella_ruficollis.png)
Illustration of N. d. ruficollis
_Gazella_mhorr.png)
Illustration of N. d. mhorr
The numbers of this species in the wild have fallen by 80% over the last decade. The IUCN now lists it as critically endangered with a wild population of less than 500 (the most recent review suggests c. 300). It occurs in poor countries and little action is taken to protect the species. The national parks are not well guarded, and poaching still occurs. It has been extirpated from Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Nigeria. Populations remain in Chad, Mali and Niger, and it has been reintroduced in Senegal and Tunisia.[1][10]
The Dama gazelle does not need a lot of water, but it needs more than other desert animals. It is not as resistant and perishes from a lack of water during the drought season. The environment has become ill-suited for it. Habitat pressure from pastoral activity is another reason for decline, as are introduced diseases from livestock.[13]
Another reason for the decline of the dama gazelle is habitat destruction. Humans cut down the branches of the trees on which this gazelle feeds. As a result, the trees die and the gazelle cannot eat.[14] Human threats are the most dangerous of threats to the dama gazelle. The main reason this species of gazelle is endangered is because of mechanized hunting; hunters using vehicles increase its decline. Civil unrest, for instance in Sudan, also negatively affects the life of the dama gazelle. Since the gazelle is already having a hard time surviving, these conditions have made its habitat unsuitable.[15] A potential threat the dama gazelle faces is tourism. Tourists want to take pictures of this endangered species, and in doing so, may be perceived as a threat, especially during the hot season.[14] Gazelles will run away from perceived danger, and in the hot season may overheat and die of stress.
Relatively few actions have been taken in the conservation of the dama gazelle.[1][13] The few measures that have been taken are reserves so the animal can live in a peaceful environment and captive breeding to help rebuild the populations.
A reserve for mhorr gazelles was set up in 1971 to help avoid extinction. This reserve, Parque de Rescate de la Fauna Sahariana (Rescue Park for Saharan Fauna) of the Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (Experimental Station of Arid Zones), is in Spain. The reserve has been a success and is still around today.[16]
Another reserve for the mhorr subspecies was set up in Chad, the Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achime Faunal Reserve.[14] This reserve was effective from 1978–1987, but due to civil war, it was abandoned.[13]
Captive breeding is a very popular way to help an endangered species repopulate. The species reproduces in captivity, but the small founder population potentially presents a problem and may result in inbreeding.[10][16] The primary focus of European EAZA zoos is the mhorr gazelle (N. d. mhorr), while the primary focus of North American AZA zoos is the addra gazelle (N. d. ruficollis). Mhorr gazelles are also kept in North African facilities and both subspecies are kept in the Middle East.[10] These are maintained as part of the European Endangered Species Programme and Species Survival Plan. The studbooks include 293 mhorr (2014) and 168 addra gazelles (2012). One participant in the addra gazelle plan, White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida, has bred the gazelles since 1983, resulting in nearly 300 births.[17] Several hundred additional animals that are not managed as part of the studbooks are kept privately, especially in Texas.[10]
Small population size and inbreeding are a serious concern in this population due to the increased parasite load and reduced reproductive viability.[18] Few substantial in situ conservation efforts have been mounted due to the political situation in their currently fragmented habitat. The survival of this species in the wild depends on more reserves being created in the Sahelian and Saharan zones and better protection in the reserves that do exist.[1][14] As the population deteriorates, researchers in 2008 stressed the need for healthy captive population and for help to preserve their habitats in the wild.[13]
In 2015, a reintroduction project was conducted in the Western Saharan territory of Morocco, in the Safia Natural Reserve close to the border with Mauritania.[19] 24 gazelles were released in a semi-enclosed facility, seven of which were monitored with telemetry collars. During the course of the project, animals experienced a poaching event, resulting in the deaths of three animals. Additionally, seven animals were killed by domestic dogs from nearby military outposts, suggesting that the animals do not recognize potential predators. This milestone project proved that reintroduction of wild animals in this part of the world is extremely difficult despite the favorable sentiment of the majority of local communities.
Rotterdam Zoo, the Netherlands
Marwell Zoo, Hampshire, England, the U.K.
Addra gazelle at Binder Park Zoo, Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.
The dama gazelle (Nanger dama), also known as the addra gazelle or mhorr gazelle, is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa, in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. A critically endangered species, it has disappeared from most of its former range due to overhunting and habitat loss, and natural populations only remain in Chad, Mali, and Niger. Its habitat includes grassland, shrubland, semi-deserts, open savanna and mountain plateaus. Its diet includes shrubs, herbs, grasses, leaves (especially Acacia leaves), shoots, and fruit.
In Niger, the dama gazelle has become a national symbol. Under the Hausa name meynacode: hau promoted to code: ha or ménascode: hau promoted to code: ha , the dama gazelle appears on the badge of the Niger national football team, who are popularly called the Ménas.
