--- title: "Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri) | AnimalTracks.wiki" description: "A bipedal antelope of Africa's dry thornbush that rears onto its hind legs to reach leaves other antelope can't, and does not drink standing water, relying instead on the succulent plants it eats." image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/gerenuk-1.webp" published: "2026-09-06" updated: "2026-09-28" --- # Gerenuk (*Litocranius walleri*) > **Status**: Checked against 5 sources, listed under Sources below. > **Tagline**: A bipedal antelope of Africa's dry thornbush that rears onto its hind legs to reach leaves other antelope can't, and does not drink standing water, relying instead on the succulent plants it eats. > **Soundtrack Vibe**: Neo-Classical & Baroque Chamber // Arvo Pärt, "Spiegel im Spiegel" > **Soundtrack Links**: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/7zHd9LxIZB8WKosSWN9Umj) > **Vibe Match**: A gerenuk rears onto its hind legs to reach tree leaves other antelope can't, and adults freeze when danger approaches. Spiegel im Spiegel is balance and stillness set to music: one slow violin line held over quiet, unhurried piano. ## Biological Superpowers & Stats - **Taxonomy**: *Litocranius walleri* - **Danger Level**: Low - **Conservation Status**: Near Threatened ([IUCN Red List](https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-2.rlts.t12142a50190292.en)) - **Superpower**: Rears onto its hind legs to browse tree leaves that are out of reach for most other antelope species - **Habitat**: Arid thornbush savannah of northeastern Africa, from Tanzania's treeless plains to the dry high deserts of Kenya - **Diet**: Mostly leaves of thorny shrubs and trees, and succulent plants for water; more than 80 plant species have been found in one gerenuk's stomach - **Tags**: mammal, savanna, herbivore, bipedal, diurnal, arid ## Natural History & Behavior The gerenuk (*Litocranius walleri*) is an antelope of the dry thornbush savannah of northeastern Africa, and it often eats standing up. ## A Body Stretched for Height A gerenuk's long neck and long, thin legs are its defining features, making it one of the world's most easily recognized antelopes. It weighs 29 to 58 kilograms and runs 140 to 160 centimetres in body length, plus a 220 to 350-millimetre tail. Only males carry horns, curved and scimitar-shaped, 25 to 44 centimetres long. The coat is pale tawny brown, white along the breast and belly, with a dark patch around each eye that fades outward into a white rim. ## Standing Up to Eat Long neck, long legs and the ability to stand on its hind legs let the gerenuk reach tree leaves that are out of reach for most other antelope species. > **A Stomach Full Of Options** That reach lets the gerenuk be selective about what it eats. More than 80 different plant species have been found in a single gerenuk's stomach. It feeds almost exclusively on thorny shrubs and trees, frequently using this bipedal stance to do it. It's a medium-sized antelope closely related to gazelles and springbok, but unlike them it has low-crowned teeth, meaning teeth with short chewing crowns. ## Skipping the Water Hole The gerenuk lives across a range of dry habitats, from Tanzania's treeless plains to Kenya's high deserts, and does well in a variety of them as long as there's a good supply of succulent plants. It does not drink from standing water, relying instead on the water it takes in from the succulent plants it eats. ## Solitary and Watchful Male gerenuks are solitary and very territorial. Dominant males mark out a territory on trees and shrubs with their preorbital gland, a scent gland in front of the eye. A male's territory can run 300 to 850 acres and support several individuals. Females move in small bands of up to about 10, usually related adults with young, roaming freely across male territories. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, hyenas, servals, caracals, honey badgers and large eagles are known predators of gerenuks. Gerenuks have been estimated to live up to 12 years in the wild, and one captive gerenuk lived for 17.3 years. The IUCN lists the species as Near Threatened because its population is decreasing. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Was the gerenuk once classified as a species of gazelle? Yes. It was first described as Gazella walleri, and that old name survives as a synonym today. The gerenuk is the only species in its own genus, Litocranius, but it remains a close relative of the gazelles. *(Source: [Integrated Taxonomic Information System]())* ### How does a gerenuk react when a predator gets close? It freezes. Adult gerenuks stay motionless at the approach of danger, a habit more common in forest-dwelling antelope than in desert-adapted ones. Fawns also keep still, hidden in bushes and tall grass not far from their feeding mother. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())* ### Has the gerenuk's range gotten smaller? Yes. A 2003 account on Animal Diversity Web records that the species was once found in eastern Egypt and northeastern Sudan as well. A newer species account in Mammalian Species places it in the dry thornbush savannah of northeastern Africa, and reports that its population is decreasing. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())* ### Are male and female gerenuks different sizes? Not by much. Males and females are a similar size, but males are more muscular, which makes them heavier. Horns are a male-only feature. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())* ## Sources 1. [Litocranius walleri (gerenuk). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.]() 2. [Litocranius walleri. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database.]() 3. [Bärmann, Klappert & Chen (2021). Litocranius walleri (Artiodactyla: Bovidae). Mammalian Species.]() 4. [Litocranius walleri (Brooke, 1879). Integrated Taxonomic Information System.]() 5. [Litocranius walleri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T12142A50190292.]() *Published September 6, 2026. 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