Mongalla gazelle
- The species can go long periods without direct water, obtaining moisture from succulent grasses.
- During the rainy season herds perform synchronised “stotting” jumps that may signal predator detection to conspecifics.
- Its taxonomic status is disputed: some treat it as a full species, others as a subspecies of Thomson’s or the red-fronted gazelle.
- The coat is brown with a completely white forehead, belly and rump and a bright lateral stripe; both sexes have horns, but those of males are twice as long.
- The white facial markings have earned it the nickname “white-spotted gazelle”.
- The species is one of the least-studied members of the genus Eudorcas.
- The Mongalla gazelle lives only on the floodplains and savannas of South Sudan east of the Nile and takes its name from the Mongalla locality.
- It prefers open grassy plains and avoids dense thickets.
- The Mongalla gazelle is an example of how political instability in a region can hinder the study and protection of even relatively common species.
Age
Mongalla gazelles typically live from 7 to 11 years, with a theoretical lifespan ranging from 7 years and 3 months to 20 years. The species reaches sexual maturity between 9 months and 1 week and 1 year and 3 months of age; the young’s eyes open at birth, and they begin to walk immediately. The embryo stage involves development within the mother, where it receives nourishment from her. Following birth, the newborn gazelle spends its first few weeks hiding in vegetation and consuming milk, a period lasting from 1 day to 3 months. Subsequently, the young gazelle enters a phase of rapid growth, transitioning to a diet of grass and gradually gaining independence, a stage that lasts from 3 months to 1 year and 6 months. The adult stage begins at 1 year and 6 months and continues until 11 years of age, during which the animal is capable of reproduction and lives independently.
Phenotype
Mongalla gazelles have light and soft fur for camouflage in grass, and the young possess this feature. After a period of rapid growth, the species’ legs are long, enabling swift running, and the young have a white spot on their rump which serves as a signal to other individuals. Adult mongalla gazelles have short, sandy-colored fur that aids in hiding from predators, and they possess thin, ringed horns used in territorial disputes. The adults also have strong and long legs that allow for high speed, and a large white spot on the rump is visible from a distance and acts as a warning signal.
Physiology
Mongalla gazelles measure in height from 17.8 centimeters to 4.5 meters, and their body length ranges from 70 centimeters to 0.9 meters; the species weighs 15.01 kilograms. During the embryo stage, the body mass is from 1 to 400 grams; the young in the infant stage have a body mass from 1.8 to 3.5 kilograms and a body length from 35 to 55 centimeters. The fast-growing juvenile stage exhibits a body mass from 8 to 16 kilograms and a body length from 55 to 75 centimeters; adult mongalla gazelles have a body mass from 15 to 20 kilograms and a body length from 70 to 85 centimeters.
Habitat
Mongalla gazelles inhabit a terrestrial landscape at elevations ranging from 300 meters to 0.9 kilometers. The species’ habitat includes flooded meadows, which are characterized by frequent inundation and abundant grass, and temperate steppes with plentiful grass and few trees, where rain occurs. The climate is that of a hot steppe with very hot summers and dryness, although there is abundant grass; it is also very dry, almost desert-like, with little rainfall. Rainfall is scarce in winter but more frequent in summer; the winters are warm with little precipitation, and the year is always hot, with frequent rains but sometimes dryness.
Shelter
Mongalla gazelles inhabit open grasslands and do not have permanent or long-term shelters. The species does not utilize any fixed or lasting refuge, relying instead on grasses for protection and rest. The purpose of these grasses is to provide defense from predators and a place to relax. Mongalla gazelles lack a constant shelter.
Geography
Mongalla gazelles are inhabitants of the Afrotropical realm. The species occupies grasslands and savannas, primarily in South Sudan, as well as in parts of Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The distribution area includes the Nile basin and extends to Lake Albert. These antelopes inhabit areas with a relatively flat terrain and sparse vegetation.
Feeding
The mongalla gazelle feeds on grass and young plant shoots, and can go for extended periods without drinking water, obtaining moisture from its food. The species employs a grazing feeding strategy and obtains nourishment by plucking grass. Its diet consists of grasses, grains, young shoots, shrub leaves, foliage, grass, young shoots and sprouts, and grain. The daily food requirement ranges from 0.7 kilograms to 1.6 kilograms.
Reproduction
Mongalla gazelles inhabit and develop on land, away from bodies of water, and their young develop in nests built on or near the ground. The species reproduces through live birth; the young are born alive on land and do not hatch from eggs or larvae. A female carries a single offspring for about six months and gives birth to it on the ground, with the mother caring for the young during the first months. The size of a litter is one, and the female reaches maturity between 1 year 6 months and 2 years 4 months. The interval between reproduction cycles ranges from 11 months to 1 year 1 month. Nests are located directly on the surface of the ground, and only the mother displays parental care. Embryonic development takes 6 months.