Gerenuk

The Gerenuk  (pronounced ‘Gair-uh-nook’) is the Audrey Hepburn of antelopes. They  have long, slender necks and legs, which help them reach leaves on tree branches that other antelope can’t reach. They can stand up on their back legs and use their front legs to pull branches down within reach. Gereunk is so successful at grazing in the dry brush of East Africa, they don’t drink from standing water. They get all the moisture they need from the succulent plants they consume.

Gerenuk are shy. With their giant ears, if they pick up on possible predator behavior, they may stand very still and slowly slink away. They are particularly fast, but their small, lithe size allows them to dart in and out of bushes and around trees.

 

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