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Gerenuk - LITOCRANIUS WALLERI
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Gerenuk": "Gerenuk" comes from the Somali word "garanug."
Location: Eastern Africa.
Habitat:Terrestrial. Scrub, and sometimes desert.
Description:The most obvious feature of the gerenuk is its very long slender neck. It also has long slender legs. The general color is reddish-brown, darker on the back and lighter on the flank. There is a line separating the color of the flanks from the white underside. The eyes have a white rim around them, and the tail is short and broad at the base, ending in a black tuft. The horns, present only in the male, are stout and noticeably ringed, and they average 14 inches long. Length of head and body about 5 feet, shoulder height about three feet, and weight up to 110 pounds.
Behavior: The diurnal gerenuk travels singly, in pairs, or in small groups of 5 or 6 individuals. It is well adapted to arid environments and rarely needs to drink. Instead, it extracts water from the vegetation it eats, mainly the leaves and tender shoots of bushes and small trees. It can stand upright on its hind legs, with its forelegs resting on the tree trunk, and using its long neck it can reach high branches. When in flight it runs with its head held forward at the same level as its body.
Reproduction: Unknown.
Go to the Artiodactyla Page to learn more about all the even-toed hoofed animals.
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