The red gazelle (''Eudorcas rufina'') is an

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

species or subspecies of

gazelle A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . This article also deals with the seven species included in two further genera, ''Eudorcas'' and ''Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third f ...

. It was formerly considered a member of the genus ''

Gazella A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . This article also deals with the seven species included in two further genera, ''Eudorcas'' and ''Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third f ...

'' within the subgenus ''Eudorcas'' before ''Eudorcas'' was promoted to a full genus. It is thought to have lived in the better-watered mountain areas of

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

rather than in

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

s, because of the rich colouring on the coat. There are no records of the red gazelle in the wild. It is known from three specimens purchased in markets in

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...

and

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

, northern Algeria, in the late 19th century. They are held in

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s in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

and

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Some authorities, such as Jonathan Kingdon, consider it a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of the

red-fronted gazelle The red-fronted gazelle (''Eudorcas rufifrons'') is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa from Senegal to northeastern Ethiopia. It is mainly resident in the Sahel zone, a narrow cross-Africa band south of the S ...

(''E. rufifrons'' or ''G. rufifrons''). In 2008, K. de Smet reported one of the three specimens had proved on examination to be '' E. rufifrons'', leading the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

to revise its assessment of the species from

Extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

Data Deficient A data deficient (DD) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made. This does not necessaril ...

on the basis of doubts as to the validity of the taxon. The red-fronted gazelle occurs in the Sudanian savanna ecoregion, south of the Sahara. The red gazelle occurred north of the Sahara, thereby representing a distinct population irrespective of its species or subspecies status.

Physical characteristics

The red gazelle is described as larger than the red-fronted gazelle, with heavier hooves, and distinctive bright red-brown fur. It is characterized to have thin (2.5–4 cm wide) black stripes across its flanks, in between its rear and front legs. The top of the head, cheeks, and sides of the neck are a pale whitish color, while the undersides and rump are a plain white colour. The center of its face is bordered on both side by pale streaks running from the eyes to the snout. It has a rufous tail with a black tip.Huffman, Brent. "Eudorcas rufina, Red Gazelle." Ultimateungulate. Ultimateungulate, 20 Feb 2013. Web. 22 April 2013. http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Eudorcas_rufina.html

Physical characteristics

References

Further reading