Gazelles: Ever Poised & Graceful Even In Captivity!
By Winston D. Munnings
11 May 2008
Gazelles are perhaps the most graceful and composed animals you'll come across in the wild.
Conversely, they are certainly among the fastest in that they are able to reach high speeds (as high as 50 miles per hour according to researchers) for long periods. They are, however, very suspicious and withdrawn and will definitely stare you down when they are approached.
This became evident when I was shooting at the Miami Metro Zoo recently. A photographer friend had warned me before hand that it's all in how you approach these poised animals. "When you arrive at the Zoo, don't begin clicking away. "Sit for about fifteen to twenty minutes giving the animals a chance to size you up and you'll be surprise how accommodating they can be," he said.
I thought he was out of his freaking mind, quite frankly, but boy was I wrong. I watched this photographer person walked ahead of me laden with a compliment of Lens, camera bag and tripod looking like Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade (1989). Sure enough within seconds, he was cheerfully clicking away like a rat in a cheese factory. With each click, however, the five Gazelles just seem to retreat into the background until they were all hidden or had positioned themselves inside the enclosure in such a way as if to say to the Photographer ..."Take a picture of that, Jack _ _ _"
After about fifteen minutes, the disappointed Photographer packed his equipment and headed off to the next exhibition. Like clockwork, the Gazelles slowly returned to the center of the compound to await the next Jack_ _ _ (I suppose) and to repeat the process. "...I was not going to be that Jack _ _ _, " I thought to myself as I was now forced to follow my friend's advice.
I approached the Gazelle's enclosure and sat (quietly) as they raised their heads from grazing as if to check me out. We stared ... me at them and vice versa ... for at least ten minutes. After about twenty minutes or so, they came even closer rewarding me this opportunity to record this Photo Essay.
Is there a moral to this story? You bet!
Give everyone a little respect, and you'll be surprised how cooperative they can be.
Writer's Note: This Essay is about the Goitered Gazelle. The Goitered, Black-tailed or Persian gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) is a gazelle found in a large area of central Asia, including part of Iran and southern west Pakistan in the western end of the range, as well as the Gobi desert. The specific name means "full below the throat" and refers to the male having an enlargement of the neck and throat during the mating season. This is not a true goiter, which is caused by the enlargement of the thyroid gland. The Goitered gazelle inhabits sands and gravel plains and limestone plateau. It runs at high speed, without the leaping, bounding gait seen in other gazelle species. Throughout much of their range, Goitered gazelles undergo seasonal migrations. (Source: Wikipedia)
More Photo Essays
More stories by Winston D. Munnings
Thanks for letting us know!
Thanks for voicing your concerns. Rest assured, we take it seriously. We'll look into it and take any appropriate action.
