Thomson's Gazelle

Thomson's Gazelle facts at a glance

How big is a thomson's gazelle?

An adult thomson's gazelle measures 1 m long — about 58% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 25 kg, about 36% of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).

What is a group of thomson's gazelles called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

Speed and escaping predators

Thomson's gazelle is built for open-country speed, reaching up to 80 km/h in a flat-out sprint. Because it cannot outrun a cheetah over the first hundred metres, its real defence is agility: it zig-zags and cuts at sharp angles that a heavier predator struggles to follow. This constant threat from cheetahs, lions, wild dogs, and hyenas shapes almost everything about how the gazelle lives and moves. Even at rest, herds stay alert and rarely let a predator approach unnoticed.

Grazing and diet

Thomson's gazelles are grazers that feed mainly on short grasses and fresh green shoots. They follow the growth of new grass after rain and often move onto areas that larger grazers such as zebra and wildebeest have already cropped down. This preference for short, nutritious turf lets them extract enough moisture from their food to go long periods without drinking. When grass is scarce they will also browse on low herbs and foliage.

Range and the great migration

The species is closely tied to the grasslands and savannas of East Africa, above all the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Large numbers travel alongside the wildebeest and zebra of the great migration, exploiting the flush of new grass that follows the herds and the rains. Outside migration, gazelles form loosely structured herds that shift across the plains as grazing conditions change. Males often hold small territories that they mark and defend during the breeding season.

Stotting behaviour

One of the gazelle's most striking habits is stotting, sometimes called pronking, in which it springs stiffly into the air with all four legs held straight. This eye-catching leap is thought to signal to a predator that the gazelle is fit, alert, and not worth chasing. It may also warn the rest of the herd that danger is near. A cheetah that sees strong, energetic stotting will often break off before a chase even begins.

Reproduction and young

Females can breed year-round, though births often peak with the rains when grazing is richest. After a gestation of roughly five to six months a single fawn is born and hidden in tall grass, lying motionless while its mother grazes nearby and returns to nurse. This hiding strategy keeps the vulnerable newborn out of sight of predators during its first weeks. Once strong enough, the fawn joins the herd and must quickly learn to run with the group.

Why it is Near Threatened

Although still numerous, Thomson's gazelle is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN because its numbers have been falling. Expanding farmland, fences, and settlements break up the open plains it depends on and cut off migration routes. Competition with livestock for grazing and localised hunting add further pressure. Well-managed reserves in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara remain vital strongholds for the species.

Did you know? Thomson's Gazelle facts

• Thomson's gazelles are small, fast antelope with a distinctive black side stripe.
• Gazelles are a group within antelopes — slender, fast, and often with side stripes.
• About 10–12 years in the wild.
• Conservation: Near Threatened.

Diet & feeding

Thomson's Gazelle feeds primarily as a short grasses.

Adaptations

• Gazelles use sudden turns and leaps to evade cheetahs at close range.
• Numbers have declined with habitat conversion and poaching.

Behaviour & ecology

• Gazelles use sudden turns and leaps to evade cheetahs at close range.
• Numbers have declined with habitat conversion and poaching.

Communication

• Thomson's Gazelle uses scent, posture, and vocal signals to mark territory and coordinate social behaviour.
• Communication intensity often peaks during breeding seasons and territorial disputes.

Habitat & range

East African grasslands

Ecological role

Thomson's Gazelle plays a recognised ecological role in east african grasslands.

Conservation status of the Thomson's Gazelle

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Thomson's Gazelle:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Near Threatened) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Eudorcas thomsonii.

• iNaturalist — observations & photos

  Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Eudorcas thomsonii. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.

• GBIF — occurrence data

  Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Eudorcas thomsonii. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.

• IUCN Red List — Eudorcas thomsonii.

  Conservation status (Near Threatened) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Eudorcas thomsonii. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.