- Where to see one
- 3 U.S. zoos in our directory hold dama gazelle, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the dama gazelle
The dama gazelle lives in the Sahara and Sahel of Africa, in grassland, shrubland, semi-desert and open savanna. It is considered the largest gazelle, with a white body, reddish-brown head and neck, S-curved horns and unusually long legs that help shed heat. It feeds on shrubs, herbs, grasses, shoots, fruit and leaves, especially acacia leaves. Unlike many desert mammals it is active by day, and when alarmed it pronks, hopping with all four legs stiff, to warn the herd. Natural populations remain only in Chad, Mali and Niger, and in Niger the animal is a national symbol.
Dama Gazelle facts
- It is considered the largest species of gazelle.
- Pronking, hopping with all four legs stiff, warns herd members of danger.
- A few days after birth, young can follow the herd; after a week they run as fast as adults.
- Under the Hausa name meyna, it appears on the badge of Niger's national football team.
Where to see dama gazelle in the U.S.
3 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 2 zoos holding dama gazelle by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds dama gazelle but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
Louisiana· 1
Tennessee· 1
Texas· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
