We are proud to announce the birth of three Dorcas gazelles. Born just days apart, on the 8th, 13th and 16th November, they have been named Piper, Rocket and Rooster after varieties of potato – well their father is named Spud after all!

At around 55cm (22 inches) when fully grown, Dorcas gazelles are the world’s smallest gazelle species. Marwell’s calves are just 30cm (12 inches), making them the smallest gazelles in the UK.

Dorcas gazelles are a species of antelope found throughout the Saharan region in Africa. The Sahara is one of the driest places on Earth and many animals survive by staying small so they need a minimum of food and water. The gazelles have adapted perfectly for this hostile environment and can even live their entire life’s without drinking, instead gaining moisture from the plants they eat.

Simon Hawker, Head Keeper for the gazelles said: “Everyone at Marwell is delighted that all three calves are healthy and thriving in their new environment. They are certainly three of the most pretty calves that I have seen in a long time and look particularly adorable when they snuggle up to each other for warmth.” Piper, Rocket and Rooster are all on show at Marwell.

The conservation charity’s newest additions are very significant for the Dorcas gazelle population. They are all under constant threat due to illegal hunting and loss of natural habitat. Due to the vast size of the Sahara, gaining accurate data on their number in the wild is difficult but it is believed that during the last 18 years they have suffered a massive 30% decline in their population, with a sub-Saharan population numbering around 35,000. As a result they are listed as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and are included in the Convention on Migratory Species Action Plan for the conservation and restoration of desert antelope.

While the main focus of conservation efforts in Africa is to protect remaining populations of Dorcas gazelles and their habitats in the wild, reintroduction efforts are underway in places where they have disappeared and have no hope of returning by natural means. Dorcas gazelles born at Marwell have recently been included in a project that eventually aims to reintroduce the species to the North Ferlo National Park in Senegal, Africa. Biologists from Marwell are also helping to monitor a population that has been re-established in the Dghoumes National Park in Tunisia where Marwell have also led the reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx, an antelope species that became extinct in the wild.

24th November 2008

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