#generuk

Generuk basic info:

Their scientific name is Litocranius walleri; it is of the Kingdom Animalia(obviously), Phylum Chordata, Class Mammalia, Order Artiodactyla, Family Bovidae, and genus Litocranius, this genus has two especies, the one were covering here and a subspecies called Litocranius Sclareti, it is a type of gazelle; it's name, "Generuk", means "girraffe-necked" in Somali.

Physical description:

The Generuks are long-necked and long-legged terrestrial animals, they are 140 to 160cm in height, can go at 26km/h and weight from 29 to 58kg they tend to be in a light orange-ish brown color with some dark and lighter parts and a white underside and around their eyes and inner ears, they have small heads but big eyes and ears, the males also have a pair of long ringed horns, it's tail is short and ends in a puff of black hair; these antelopes have pre-orbital glands that emits a tar-like substance that has scents which they use to mark their territory, they also have scent glands on their knees covered with hair and between their hooves

REPRODUCTION:

When a Generuk male encounters a potential mate, the female raises their nose into the air and pulls her ears close to their face, this as a sign of defensiveness, the male meanwhile displays his horns and neck in a sideways pose, if the female is receptive the male marks her on the tight with his pre-orbital glands; then the male follows her around, and samples her urine when she attempts to urinate, this allows the male to know when she goes in estrus due to him noticing it in her urine, then the mating happens; the males will try to mate with as much females as possible; the gestation ranges on average about 6 months and have 1 offspring, the mother usually takes care of the offspring

HABITAT:

It lives in the savanna and shrubland in countries of Africa like Yibuti, Etiopia, Kenia, Somalia and Tanzania; it lives, in the wild, 10 to 12 years; it is near threatened(NT), which means it's close to being a vulnerable species; they generally live in groups of related females and their young or bachelor groups of males, although some males do live alone; they are a herbivorous species, an their diet consists of multiple plants, they are sometimes found on two legs eating from trees or bushes, they do not eat grass but they do eat things like flowers, leaves and fruit; and much like other species they are also diurnal, meaning that they are most active during the day

PREDATORS:

Their known predators are: cheetahs, leopards, lions, cape hunting dogs, hyenas, servals, ratel, caracals and large eagles; humans have also used them as game animals and for meat

OTHER:

They can walk on their hind legs for short times, this ability they use mostly to stand up and eat the best leaves and foods they can find, usually on more higher parts of trees and bushes or climbing plants

DISCOVERY:

On 1878, Horace Waller sent a generuk to Brooke(a zoologist), for him to identify, Waller had found it at the mouth of the Juba river on the coast of Somaliland, East Africa. The native Africans called the animal a “gerenuk.” but Brook gave the Generuk official name, that being Gazella walleri, in honour of Horace Waller, who had discovered it. Later on Dr. Kohl made a study of the gerenuk’s anatomy and found out that it was different from a true gazelle, so he then changed the name to Lithocranius walleri, "Lithocranius" was made form the greek words "lithos" and "cranium", "cranium" meaning skull, and "lithos" meaning stone

PICTURES: