This Animal Survives Africa’s Hot Climate Without Drinking Water - Ever
Nuk is an orphaned gerenuk. He was found as a baby and raised at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. Besides being adorable, gerenuks are famous for never needing to drink water.
Even though they don’t actually drink water, they can’t live without it, just like all living creatures. What makes them remarkable is that they obtain all the hydration they need from the plant life they consume, and their bodies are well adapted, requiring much less hydration.
Their slender necks, small heads, large ears, and funny noses may make them look a bit like aliens, but they serve an important function in finding food and preventing fluid loss.
The species’ unique features help them reach plants and branches that antelopes and gazelles can’t. For example, they can stand on their back legs very comfortably, and when they extend their long necks, they can reach trees that are over 7 feet tall.
"We rescued Nuk in 2013 when he surprised livestock herders by walking home with their goats," the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust staff says. "He had obviously lost his mother and decided that the passing goats looked like a good next option!"
"They can get enough moisture from the plant life they eat and can survive in dry thornbush country and even in the desert," the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust wrote. "Gerenuks conserve water with uniquely adapted nasal passages, which prevent evaporative loss."
After spending more than twelve months in the shelter, Nuk was released into the wild. However, that doesn’t mean he forgot the kind people who took care of him.
"For a while, he chose to return and visit those who raised him at Kaluku from time to time," says Amie Alden, communications and media manager for the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. "We occasionally saw him on the airstrip with a herd of impalas he had taken a liking to."
The IUCN Red List states that gerenuks are near extinction due to poaching and habitat loss. However, thanks to brave survivors like Nuk, the species has a fighting chance.
"It seems he's having a wonderful time and has perhaps established his own territory," Alden said. "Though it's bittersweet not to see him, we are proud that he's clearly found his place in the wild — a complete success story."
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