Dama gazelle (Nanger dama); this individual is in a zoo.
Image: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2026 global assessment of Nanger dama says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The dama gazelle is the largest gazelle and one of the most endangered, a tall, long-necked antelope of the Sahara. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
Only small remnant groups survive in the wild.
Range & habitat
The Sahara and Sahel of North Africa, now in tiny remnant populations.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Uncontrolled hunting
- Habitat loss and drought
- A tiny, fragmented population
Why it matters
The largest gazelle and now barely clinging on in the wild, the dama gazelle is a stark indicator of how heavily Saharan wildlife has been hunted.
Gallery
Dama gazelle (Nanger dama); the Mhorr subspecies.
Image: Ltshears, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Dama Gazelle
- IUCN Red List — look up Dama Gazelle (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web