© L Peat

Wild diet: 60% plant material, 15% fruits and legumes, 4-5% insects, rest comprises stones, salts and cereal grains (Aganga 2003). Heavily utilise new grasses. Plant species include: Ficus sp, Acacia, Indigotera schimpei and Aspilia mossambicensis. Similar diet composition to Grant’s gazelle but with the addition of silica rich plants. Studies show that they need to consume 5-6kg of fresh mass daily which contains 70% water and on a dry matter basis 24% fibre, 12% crude fibre, 16% ash, 3% lipid (O’Malley 1995).

Feeding strategy: Omnivorous with seasonal variations. Forage over large distances. They rarely actively drink.

Wild weight ranges: Males 100-130kg, maximum of 150kg, Females 90-110kg