• Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA
  • Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA
  • Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA
  • Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA
  • Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA
  • Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA

Photo Ark

Endangered Slender-Horned Gazelle

Gazella leptoceros

Living Desert, Palm Desert, California, USA

Endangered

Numbers have long been declining due to uncontrolled hunting (Mallon and Kingswood 2001, Devillers et al. 2005). The size of the current population in Egypt is unknown, but is described as very small (El Alqamy and Baha El Din 2006). The two known populations in Algeria and Tunisia are also estimated to be very small (Wacher 2006). The few recent field surveys in both countries report only small groups or just tracks. It is highly unlikely that the remaining population numbers more than a few hundred. Read More

The main threat is uncontrolled poaching, though disturbance, increased human activity and degradation of natural habitats (especially erg vegetation) through desertification also have a negative impact (Devillers et al. 2005, Beudels and Devillers 2013). The availability of cheap but robust motor cycles and quad bikes has allowed poachers to access almost all parts of the range. Poaching became even more prevalent following the events of the 'Arab Spring' in the 2010s and associated reduction in control and economic difficulties. Hundreds of images of dead gazelles have been posted by hunters on social media sites, including some Slender-horned Gazelles. Read More

mediterranean

Follow Photo Ark

Keep up with Photo Ark and Joel Sartore by following the project on Facebook and Instagram.


 

IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2016. Gazella leptoceros. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T8972A50186909. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T8972A50186909.en