Saudi gazelle (Gazella saudiya), an extinct species of bovid mammal, once populated the stony and sandy plains of the northern and western Arabian Peninsula. Their presence extended from Kuwait to Yemen, with most sightings recorded in western Saudi Arabia. These gazelles lived alone or in groups of up to 20 individuals.
Declared extinct in the wild in 1980 after not being sighted for several decades, the Saudi gazelle faced the threat of extinction, partly attributed to human intervention. Originally considered a subspecies of the common gazelle (Gazella dorcas), attention to its decline and eventual disappearance was limited. However, more recent genetic studies revealed its status as a separate species, marked by genetic differences, shorter legs and a lighter color compared to the common gazelle.
Despite efforts to locate pure individuals in captivity, genetic studies showed that specimens kept in captivity belonged to other species or were hybrids. Persistent attempts to search for Saudi gazelles on private property and in the wild yielded no evidence of surviving individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) formally declared the species extinct in 2008.
Approximate measurements of the Gazelle:
Declared extinct in the wild in 1980 after not being sighted for several decades, the Saudi gazelle faced the threat of extinction, partly attributed to human intervention. Originally considered a subspecies of the common gazelle (Gazella dorcas), attention to its decline and eventual disappearance was limited. However, more recent genetic studies revealed its status as a separate species, marked by genetic differences, shorter legs and a lighter color compared to the common gazelle.
Despite efforts to locate pure individuals in captivity, genetic studies showed that specimens kept in captivity belonged to other species or were hybrids. Persistent attempts to search for Saudi gazelles on private property and in the wild yielded no evidence of surviving individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) formally declared the species extinct in 2008.
Approximate measurements of the Gazelle:
- Scale 1:24 Complete
- Length 62mm
- Height 46mm
- Snout-tail base length 46 mm
- Scale 1:18 Complete
- Length 83mm
- Height 61mm
- Snout-tail base length 62 mm
