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Gazelle Identification - Israel (1 Viewer)

Paul Chapman

Well-known member
Can someone confirm the specific identification of those attached?

Pic 1 is from Hameishar Plains & Pics 2 to 5 are from Amram's Pillars.

All the best

Paul
 

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Hello Paul,
From the little book "Madrikh hayonaquim bisrael" (Guide to the Mammals of Israel, Jerusalem, 1993) I took these notes: Mountain gazelle, Gazella gazella, two subspecies, nominate gazella and Israel endemic ssp., Arava gazelle (didn't check the scientific name, it's not given in the book). The second species of Israel is the Dorcas Gazelle, Gazella dorcas, in the southern third part of the country and upwards along the west bank of the Dead Sea. The Mountain Gazelle + Arava Gazelle occur from the north of Israel till 3/4 of the Dead Sea and westward till the coast.
The Mountain and Arava Gazelles have a greyish black, resp. black band on the flank, black spot on the snout, and long horns in S-shape (female much smaller or missing). Dorcas has the flank band dark brown, front legs on the frontside brown, edges and backside white. Horns curved backwards in the shape of Hebrew r, also in female. I tried to copy the illustration page of the book, but it did not work.
Comparing the plate with your pictures, the gazelles of 2-5 must be Dorcas Gazelles; the animal of photo 1 could be a Mountain or perhaps Arava Gazelle (same species), looking at the horns from afar (but their shape must be variable according to age, I suppose)
The Hebrew name for gazelle is tsvi, plural tsvaím. Mountain G. is Tsvi yisre'eli or Tsvi matsuy (matsuy means common), the Dorcas Gazelle is called Tsvi hanegev of Tsvi hamidbar (Negev, midbar means desert).
Well, if any doubt, you can of course consult pictures of both species, but that does not rhyme with your "self-help" . . . Good luck, enjoy these observations, I keep good memories of such sights myself!
Jan van der Brugge
 
All these are Dorcas Gazelles, which can be identified on location alone. Mountain Gazelles do not occur that far south, while the remaining Acacia Gazelle (formally a subspecies of Mountain Gazelle) only survive in a large fenced reserve near Yotvata.
 
Opisska - John is right. They were from the car early morning.

It sounds like I need to try and find my Gazelle photos from Mount Amasa in 2013?

All the best
 
Interesting, I have seen plenty of Mountain Gazelles from very close, but Dorcas not so much, there seems to be luck involved, which is the main think I am typically missing ')
 
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