Temperature and water deprivation and their effect on ... - Nwrc.gov.sa

4 ~.2.~ G. subgutturosa s<strong>and</strong> gazelle (Rheem)The s<strong>and</strong> gazelle was first described byGuldenstaedt in 1780 as Antilope sUbgutturosa.Gazella s. marica is an endemic subspecies ofthis s<strong>and</strong> gazelle to the Arabian Peninsula. Among thes<strong>and</strong> gazelles, this subspecies is the only one whosefemales possess horns, though they are short <strong>and</strong>straight (Groves, 1989).It is characterized by a relatively large size, shorttail, relatively short ears, with long horns in themale that bend towards each other at <strong>their</strong> extremes,whilst the female has short straight ones. The bodycolour is light clay brown <strong>and</strong> the males have acharacteristic goitre-like swelling at the mid-line ofthe throat (Groves, 1989; Harrison <strong>and</strong> Bates, 1991;<strong>and</strong> Nader, 1989).Distribution:-Gazella s. marica inhabits the s<strong>and</strong>y areas of thecentral parts of the Arabian peninsula, northerngravel plains <strong>and</strong> large parts of the Empty Quarter.The gradual scarcity of rainfall, excessive humanactivity <strong>and</strong> game hunting led to a critical regressionin the number of this gazelle which made it one of thespecies threatened by extinction. This situationlimited the existence of this species to only threeprotected areas, the reserves of AL-Harrah, AL­Khunfah, <strong>and</strong> AI-Tubaiq, <strong>and</strong> the Empty Quarter