THE GERENUK, OR WALLER'S GAZELLE 8l 



Horns : 



Length on front curve 14 in. 



Tip to tip . . . . . . . . 2f „ 



Circumference at base . . . . • 5f » 



Distribution. — The gerenuk is one of the commonest of the 

 SomaHland antelopes, ranging throughout the SomaH country. 

 The most southern Hmit of the gerenuk, as far as I am aware, is the 

 country in the neighbourhood of Lake Baringo, but here they are 

 by no means plentiful, as I have looked for them on more than one 

 occasion without even coming across their spoor. North of the 

 Tana River they become commoner, and are fairly plentiful in 

 Jubaland. In the SomaHland Protectorate they are to be found on 

 the maritime plain within a few miles of Berbera. In Guban, 

 however, they are nowhere plentiful, while in Ogo-Guban and Ogo 

 they are very common. 



Habits. — The habits of the gerenuk are somewhat character- 

 istic. It lives almost entirely by browsing on the numerous species 

 of acacias which abound in its natural habitat. As is the case 

 with the domestic goats in SomaHland, the gerenuk is forced in the 

 drier months of the year, when the green shoots within its reach 

 are eaten away, to rise up on its hindlegs, with the forelegs resting 

 on the lower branches, and browse off the topmost branches of the 

 stunted acacias which are its favourite food. When disturbed it 

 will stand and gaze for a few seconds at the intruder and then, 

 shooting forward its head and lowering its neck until it is nearly 

 on the same plane as its back, it will trot off for a hundred yards 

 or so, only to come to a standstill behind some bush and peer over 

 it, in order to make certain of the intentions of the sportsman. 

 Unlike Clarke's gazelle (" Dibatag "), he curls his tail closely round 

 between his haunches when running, giving the appearance as 

 though that appendage was wanting. The gerenuk is at times 

 very difficult to see when standing still, and is, on one's first 

 acquaintance with him, by no means easy to bag. He is to' be 

 found wherever acacias abound, and in SomaHland — that is, with 

 few exceptions — nearly everywhere. He is frequently found in 

 uneven country, but prefers the flat bush country. 



Sometimes, when hunted, he will take to the hillsides, but will 



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