Kenya: Samburu NP – Gerenuk Antelopes

Gerenuk is an antelope that thinks it’s a giraffe (“gerenuk” means “giraffe-necked” in Somali). They developed long necks to reach out for the upper younger and juicier branches of acacia. Even more, gerenuks can do some incredible acrobatics – they can stand up on their hind legs and eat while standing holding on to branches with their front legs. If there was a Miss Antelope competition, gerenuks would totally take the crown – slender with long legs, long necks, large eyes, and they look like they are on high heels when they are standing. Gerenuks drink zero water and are totally adapted to the desert environment of northern Kenya and Somalia where they are found.