Mammals crepuscular

Speke's Gazelle

Gazella spekei

The Speke's Gazelle is a pint-sized desert survivor, famous for its unique 'honking' nose and striking facial stripes. As the smallest gazelle on Earth, this endangered beauty is a rare and rewarding sight for any wildlife enthusiast.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Shoulder height 50–60 cm (20–24 in); Weight 15–25 kg (33–55 lbs)

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Colors

Pale fawn or brownish-gray upper body with a bright white underbelly; a distinct dark horizontal band runs along the flank. Facial markings include white stripes from horns to muzzle.

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Key Features

Smallest gazelle species in the world
Unique inflatable skin fold on the bridge of the nose
Lyrate, heavily-ringed horns found on both sexes
Dark lateral stripe separating fawn back from white belly

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern crepuscular

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Peak hours 6-9 AM, 4-7 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Opportunistic browsers and grazers that feed on desert grasses, herbs, and the leaves of low-lying shrubs.

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Habitat Stony brush, grass steppes, and semi-deserts in the Horn of Africa.

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Behavior

Speke’s Gazelles are highly social and alert animals, usually moving in small herds of five to twenty individuals. To survive in the open, arid landscapes of the Horn of Africa, they have developed a keen sense of sight and hearing. Their most fascinating behavioral trait is their use of a specialized nasal sac; when threatened or alarmed, they inflate this skin fold to produce a loud, resonant clicking or 'honking' sound that warns the rest of the herd of approaching predators.

Within their social groups, dominant males are strictly territorial, using dung heaps and secretions from their preorbital glands to mark their domain. They are remarkably agile and can reach high speeds when fleeing, often utilizing a 'stott' or 'pronk'—a stiff-legged jump—to demonstrate their fitness to predators. While naturally shy around humans, they are primarily active during the cooler morning and evening hours to conserve energy in their harsh desert environment.

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Camera Tips

Capturing the Speke's Gazelle on camera requires a strategic approach due to their small stature and skittish nature. Because they are the smallest of all gazelles, you must mount your camera much lower than you would for other ungulates. A height of 18 to 24 inches is ideal. Angle the camera slightly upward to ensure you capture the full silhouette, including their distinctive horns and facial markings. Placing the camera too high will result in 'top-down' shots that miss the identifying flank stripes and nasal folds.

Timing and environment are critical for success. These gazelles are most active during the 'golden hours' of dawn and dusk when they emerge to forage before the desert heat peaks. Set your camera to a high trigger speed (0.3 to 0.5 seconds) and use 'Burst Mode' or 'Photo + Video' settings. Gazelles are incredibly fast and twitchy; a single photo often catches only a blur or a retreating tail, but a three-shot burst significantly increases your chances of getting a clear, profile-view 'hero shot.'

In their arid home range, water is the ultimate attractant. If you have access to a watering hole or a low-profile trough, position your camera 10-15 feet away with the sun at the camera's back to avoid lens flare. If water isn't available, look for 'latrine' sites—areas where males consistently leave dung to mark territory. These spots are visited frequently and provide the best opportunity for stationary shots. Ensure your camera is well-camouflaged with desert-toned housing or local brush, as their sharp eyes are highly sensitive to unnatural shapes and movements.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Speke's Gazelle.

Dorcas Gazelle

Larger in size and lacks the inflatable nasal sac unique to the Speke's Gazelle.

Soemmerring's Gazelle

Significantly larger with a distinct white patch on the rump that extends onto the back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Speke's Gazelle are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the cooler transition periods of dawn and dusk, specifically between 6-9 AM and 4-7 PM, to avoid the intense midday heat of the desert.

The most effective way to attract Speke's Gazelle is by placing cameras near scarce water sources or salt licks in their arid habitat. Identifying their territorial dung heaps is also a great way to find a high-traffic area for camera placement.

They are mixed feeders, consuming a variety of desert grasses and succulent herbs, as well as browsing on the leaves and shoots of acacia and other low-growing shrubs.

No, Speke's Gazelle are not found in suburban areas. They are an endangered species confined to specific wild regions in the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia and Ethiopia, and are highly sensitive to human encroachment.

The Speke's Gazelle is smaller than the Dorcas Gazelle and possesses a unique, inflatable skin fold on its nose that the Dorcas lacks. Additionally, the Speke's has a more prominent dark stripe along its flank.

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