H3_W7_003

Date: 2022

Location: Masai Mara, Kenya

Did you know?

The Thomson's Gazelle is named after explorer Joseph Thomson and is sometimes referred to as a ‘tommie’. It is a small fast antelope and can have top speeds up to 80–90 km/h (50–55 mph). It is the fourth-fastest land animal, after the Cheetah (its main predator), Pronghorn, and Springbok. Males have well-developed preorbital glands near the eyes, which are used for scent-marking territories.

About the picture

This photograph was taken in Masai Mara in 2022. It was dusk and the sky had turned a deep orange. On a hill at a distance, we saw a herd of Thomson’s Gazelle walk in a line, silhouetted by the colourful sky.

Fun Fact

The bounding vertical leap of the Thomson's Gazelle is known as stotting or pronking. It is used to escape from predators or as a display of strength to other gazelles.