Litocranius walleri
Silhouette: Andrew A. Farke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% 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 60% of wildlife watchers report a Gerenuk sighting in Samburu National Reserve on a given day, based on 204 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 10th most-seen of the 25 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and July
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Gerenuk in Samburu National Reserve on a given day, against about 30% in January, the lowest month. Those are among Samburu National Reserve's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 95 mm in April.
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.
2nd of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Gerenuk sightings, Samburu National Reserve ranks 2nd at about 60%. The best odds are in Tsavo East National Park (Kenya, about 70%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Bovidae
The closest relatives of the Gerenuk that you can see in Samburu National Reserve (family Bovidae, Bovids) are Kirk's Dik-dik (about 80%), Grant's Gazelle (about 80%) and Impala (about 70%), 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 Samburu National Reserve (204 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.
