Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle (Gazella bilkis)  

Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle aka. Yemen Gazelle was for some time believed to be a subspecies of the Arabian Gazelle (Gazella arabica (Lichtenstein)) (see photo below) but is now considered a distinct species.

The species inhabited the mountains near city of Ta’izz in southwestern Yemen where it was last seen in 1951 when it apparently still was quite common.

***

In 1985, a photograph of gazelles taken in a private collection, the Al Wabra Wildlife Farm in Qatar, might show this species, however, this has apparently never been confirmed, nor seems the subsequent fate of these animals to be known.

***

Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle is now considered extinct with the cause of its extinction being uncertain, however, it most likely was hunted to extinction.

*********************

*********************

edited: 18.10.2020