Przewalski's Gazelle

Taxobox
name = Przewalski's Gazelle
status = CR
status_system = iucn2.3
trend = down
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Artiodactyla
familia = Bovidae
subfamilia = Antilopinae
genus = "Procapra"
species = "P. przewalskii"
binomial = "Procapra przewalskii"
binomial_authority = Büchner, 1891

Przewalski's Gazelle ("Procapra przewalskii") is a member of the Bovidae family and, in the wild, is found only in China. Once widespread. its range has declined to 4 populations near Qinghai Lake. The Przewalski's gazelle was named after Nikolai Przhevalsky, a Russian adventurer who collected a specimen and brought it back to St. Petersburg in 1875. [http://english.people.com.cn/200401/11/eng20040111_132316.shtml]

The animal is yellowish brown with white spots on its rump, with a body length of 100 cm, tail of 7–10 cm and a weight of around 21–32 kg. Males are the only ones that bear antlers, which bend inwards at the tips. It inhabitats flat areas and basins between mountains and the semi-desert zones around lakes.

The preferred diet is sedge, grass, and other plants. The gazelle usually travels in groups of around 10 or so and larger ones in the winter, when estrum occurs. Offspring are born from May to June with one young per birth.

Threats against the Przewalski Gazelle are many. They compete for grazing with livestock, in particular domesticated sheep ("Ovis aries") [http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20043083607] , and have suffered a loss of habitat due to human development, fragmentation, and fencing of pastures, preventing migration for best grazing. Critically endangered, only 250 remain and a 25% decline in population within 3 years is estimated. It is unknown whether a captive population exists or not.

References

*http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/18230/summ
*http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/18230/dist
*http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/18230/doc
*http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_20934.htm