The Red-fronted gazelle (Eudorcas rufifrons) is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa. It was first described by British zoologist John Edward Gray.
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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starts withThe Red-fronted gazelle has a light red-brown color around its whole body, except for its white underside and rump. It has a distinct, thin black band that runs from the elbow to the stifle (hind leg). Its face is bordered by a pair of white stripes that run from the eye to the corner of the mouth, which are more distinct than the pale white stripes that run down the face of the Red gazelle, an animal commonly confused for it. It has a black-tufted tail. The male and female Red-fronted gazelles are similar in size, and both have s-curved horns.
Red-fronted gazelles are found in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan and Sudan. They live in semi-arid grasslands, savannas, savanna woodlands, and areas of scrub. They can also adapt to extensive pastureland and abandoned agricultural land if there is some cover. Red-fronted gazelles don't migrate but move seasonally between different habitats.
Red-fronted gazelles live alone, in pairs, or in small groups of no more than 6 individuals. Some herds occasionally may contain up to 15 individuals. Red-fronted gazelles reside in the Sahel zone but are not well-adapted to arid conditions. They will feed along the southern edge of the Sahara during the rains but must travel southward during the dry season in order to find sufficient water.
Red-fronted gazelles are herbivores (graminivores, folivores). They mainly eat grasses but also browse leaves from trees and scrub.
Red-fronted gazelles breed throughout the year and females give birth to one fawn after a gestation period of 184-189 days. The young remain hidden and are visited by their mothers for nursing. They are likely to wean at around 3 months of age. Based on the closely related Thomson's gazelle, female Red-fronted gazelles may start to breed as early as 9 months, while males may not mature until 18 months.
The main threats to Red-fronted gazelle include illegal hunting, habitat degradation, and competition with domestic livestock. Overgrazing of their habitat by livestock drives these gazelles elsewhere, as does clearance of land for farming. Substantial populations have now reduced to scattered remnant populations across most of their range.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Red-fronted gazelle is around 12,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...