Water intake of Arabian gazelles

Abstract

The free water intake of two gazelle species, Gazella gazella and G. subgutturosa, was measured for a year, during which period shade temperatures ranged from a minimum of 1°C to a maximum of 49°C. There was significant individual variation in water intake in both species. The relationship between temperature and mean water intake was non-linear and temperature explained 90–98% of the variance in mean daily water intake. No evidence was found for Arabian gazelles having uniquely low water requirements and it was therefore inferred that their adaptation to aridity includes additional physiological and/or behavioural mechanisms. The two species met their water requirements in different ways, but both responded to increased temperatures not only by drinking more but also by changing their diet to select for food with a high moisture content.