Gerenuk

The gerenuk may be my favorite African antelope. It is also known as Waller's gazelle and the giraffe-necked antelope. 

Gerenuk in Buffalo Springs NR. Photo by Esmee Tooke.

The gerenuk has a small head in relation to its body, large ears with a wonderful black design inside, 

It almost looks like a fleur-de-lis inside the ears. Photo by Esmee Tooke.

a long skinny neck, long slender legs and the males have horns.

Two male gerenuks and a Grant's gazelle. Photo by Esmee Tooke.

Grant's gazelle and gerenuk. Photo by Esmee Tooke.

They are generally fawn colored with a chestnut colored back and white undersides. 

Photo by Esmee Tooke

Rather than graze on grass, they typically browse on prickly bushes and acacia trees, standing erect on their rear legs and reaching up with their elongated necks. 

This is what I think of when I think of the gerenuk: standing on hind legs, neck outstretched, eating up high in a tree. Photo by Michael Lewin.

This one looks like E.T. Photo by Esmee Tooke.

Great balance on his hind legs.

Photo by John Mirau.

They get enough water from the plants they eat that they don't need to drink water. So they can survive in very dry areas. We only saw them in one area, Buffalo Springs NR in northern Kenya, and we only saw a few of them. 

Photo by Esmee Tooke