Unprecedented Discovery
An Israeli army reservist made a remarkable discovery in late March in the Nahal HaBasor reserve, southern Negev desert. The reservist spotted a male mountain gazelle with an extraordinary feature – an additional pair of legs growing from its back.
Survival Against the Odds
Despite the genetic abnormality known as polymelia, the six-legged gazelle has managed to thrive in its natural habitat. Conservationist Amir Balaban from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) described the gazelle as healthy, strong, and even leading a family with three female gazelles and a fawn.
Rare Genetic Disorder
The gazelle’s extra legs are attributed to a rare genetic disorder called polymelia, which is more commonly seen in cattle, birds, and reptiles. This unique case marks the first documented instance of polymelia in a mountain gazelle in the Middle East.
Conservation Efforts
Mountain gazelles, an endangered species, are protected in Israel, where only around 5,000 of them remain in the wild. While predominantly found in Israel, these gazelles also inhabit regions across the Middle East, including Palestinian territories, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.