| Beira | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Antilopinae |
| Genus: | Dorcatragus Noack, 1894 |
| Species: | D. megalotis |
| Binomial name | |
| Dorcatragus megalotis (Menges, 1894) |
|
The Beira (Dorcatragus megalotis) is a small antelope that inhabits arid regions of Somalia, Djibouti, and eastern Ethiopia.
The Beira stands 1.5 to 2 feet (0.46 to 0.61 m) high at the shoulder and weighs between 20 to 25 pounds (9.1 to 11 kg). It has a coarse, red-grey coat with a yellow-red face. It has long, 6 inches (15 cm) ears and the males of the species have short, straight horns. There is presently a captive-breeding program at the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation in Qatar. The current captive population is about 35 beira.
The term 'beira' is derived from behra, its Somali name.