Arabian Gazelle
Encyclopedia
The Arabian gazelle was an elusive gazelle
that was apparently hunted to extinction in its Middle East
ern homeland, Saudi Arabia
. It is only known from a single specimen collected on the Farasan Islands
in the Red Sea
in 1825. However, it is highly unlikely that the specimen actually originated from the Farasan Islands, and represented a former population on the island. The gazelles now occurring on Farasan Islands are a subspecies of Mountain Gazelle
, which was distinguished from this species from skull characteristics. Since the 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
this species is included as extinct by its Antelope Specialist Group until 2008. Since 2008, the Arabian Gazelle is rated as Data Deficient due to the unresolved mystery among the validity of this taxon.
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
that was apparently hunted to extinction in its Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern homeland, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. It is only known from a single specimen collected on the Farasan Islands
Farasan Islands
Farasan Islands is a large coral island group in the Red Sea, belonging to Saudi Arabia. It is located some 40 km offshore from Jizan, in the far southwestern part of the country. It is located at around . It is a protected area and was home to the extinct Arabian gazelle and, in winter, migratory...
in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
in 1825. However, it is highly unlikely that the specimen actually originated from the Farasan Islands, and represented a former population on the island. The gazelles now occurring on Farasan Islands are a subspecies of Mountain Gazelle
Mountain Gazelle
The mountain gazelle is a species of gazelle that is widely but unevenly distributed across the Arabian Peninsula. It inhabits mountains, foothills and coastal plains. Its range coincides closely with that of the acacia trees that grow in these areas. It is mainly a grazing species, though this...
, which was distinguished from this species from skull characteristics. Since the 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
this species is included as extinct by its Antelope Specialist Group until 2008. Since 2008, the Arabian Gazelle is rated as Data Deficient due to the unresolved mystery among the validity of this taxon.