95. Dorcas Gazelle, Gazella dorcas (Linnaeus, 1758)

(IUCN Red List: VU)

Subspecies: G. d. dorcas (Linnaeus, 1758) .

Distribution: Status uncertain; possibly extinct in the wild, this species was extirpated from many parts in Arabia 30–40 years ago (Habibi &Williamson 1997) and is probably extinct in the wild in Syria (Fig. 104).

Previous records: Historical records are available from the vicinity of Tell Abiad (Misonne 1957), east of Sweida (Habibi 1998), and the Yarmuk Valley (Masseti 2004).

Remarks: The species was previously assigned to the Saudi Gazelle Gazella saudiya Carruthers & Schwarz, 1935 but it turned out to be a different taxon (see Groves 1988, Hammond et al. 2001, and Mallon & Kingswood 2001 for a taxonomic revision).