# How Fast Is A Thomson's Gazelle?

> Thomson's Gazelle top speed is up to about 80 km/h (50 mph); sharp turns evade cheetahs. Sprint vs endurance and what limits pace.

- **Species:** Thomson's Gazelle (*Eudorcas thomsonii*)
- **Conservation status:** Near Threatened
- **Diet:** Herbivore — short grasses and tender shoots
- **Habitat:** East African grasslands and savannas
- **Lifespan:** 10–12 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 80 km/h (50 mph); sharp turns evade cheetahs
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gazelle/how-fast-is-a-gazelle/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gazelle/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Thomson's gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii) is a small, swift antelope of East Africa's grasslands and savannas, instantly known by the bold black stripe along its flanks. It grazes on short grasses and tender shoots, weighs 15 to 30 kg, and can sprint at up to 80 km/h while making sharp turns to escape cheetahs. Wild gazelles live around 10 to 12 years, and the IUCN lists the species as Near Threatened.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Thomson's Gazelle profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gazelle/) instead.

## Speed and escaping predators

Thomson's gazelle is built for open-country speed, reaching up to 80 km/h in a flat-out sprint. Because it cannot outrun a cheetah over the first hundred metres, its real defence is agility: it zig-zags and cuts at sharp angles that a heavier predator struggles to follow. This constant threat from cheetahs, lions, wild dogs, and hyenas shapes almost everything about how the gazelle lives and moves. Even at rest, herds stay alert and rarely let a predator approach unnoticed.

## Help protect the Thomson's Gazelle

The thomson's gazelle is listed as Near Threatened, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gazelle/how-fast-is-a-gazelle/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.