Litocranius walleri
Silhouette: Andrew A. Farke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The gerenuk (Litocranius walleri), also known as the giraffe gazelle, is a long-necked, medium-sized antelope found in parts of East Africa. The sole member of the genus Litocranius, the gerenuk was first described by the naturalist Victor Brooke in 1879. It is characterised by its long, slender neck and limbs. The antelope is 80–105 centimetres (2 feet 7 inches – 3 feet 5 inches) tall, and weighs between 18 and 52 kilograms (40 and 115 pounds). Two types of colouration are clearly visible on the smooth coat: the reddish brown back or the "saddle", and the lighter flanks, fawn to buff. The horns, present only on males, are lyre-shaped. Curving backward then slightly forward, these measure 25–44 cm (10–17+1⁄2 in).
The gerenuk was first described by Victor Brooke in 1879 on the basis of three male specimens procured on "the mainland of Africa, north of the island of Zanzibar". Brooke used the scientific name Gazella walleri, on the request of Gerald Waller (who provided the specimens) to name it after his deceased brother. The type locality was later corrected by John Kirk, who originally obtained the specimens on the "coast near the River Juba in southern... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Meru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Mkomazi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Denver Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Diego Zoo Safari Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Erlebniswelt Tier und Natur | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 8 | Griffith Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Kung Fu Corals | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Universal City Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Gerenuk sighting in Meru National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 20th most-seen of the 22 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Gerenuk in Meru National Park on a given day, against about 10% in February, June, September and November, the lowest months. That is one of Meru National Park's wettest months, with about 90 mm of rain against almost none in July.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gerenuk sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Gerenuk sightings, Meru National Park ranks 3rd at about 40%. The best odds are in Tsavo East National Park (Kenya, about 70%) and Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 60%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Bovidae
The closest relatives of the Gerenuk that you can see in Meru National Park (family Bovidae, Bovids) are Waterbuck (about 70%), Grant's Gazelle (about 70%) and Kirk's Dik-dik (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gerenuk is recorded against all the mammals logged in Meru National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
