All animals have their unique feature, that distinct trait that sets them apart from the rest. For some it is their speed, for others, their strength and others, their size. But for one animal in particular, that distinct feature is a cut above the rest.

She is the equivalent of a beauty queen in the jungle. No wonder all the carnivores prefer her meat to others – if only they could catch her.

The animal we are talking about here is the female Thomson’s gazelle. Such a graceful, gentle and yet daring creature. None can be compared to the gazelle’s grace in the wild.

From her looks, to how she escapes her ancient murderer, the cheetah, to how she does her spectacular leaps in the air when she is excited, the Thomson’s gazelle is just marvellous! So what is it about her that makes predators, especially the cheetah, so uncontrollably attracted to her?

In my opinion, the Thomson’s gazelle is the true queen of the jungle. Although I do not think my perspective caught you by surprise. I think deep down you felt the same way too.

Our secondary history did give us enough material to imagine what a queen should look like. If this is new to you, please consult Google before proceeding.

We all know that a queen is supposed to be beautiful, graceful, well groomed and very elegant. At least that is what my history books tell me. Well, if we subject the lioness to this definition, we get the complete opposite.

First of all, the lioness is muscular. What queen in history, have you ever read about, that was muscular? This is all fine and dandy if you are the general of your army but a queen? I do not think so. A queen is supposed to have an army of subjects fulfilling her every need but the lioness does not seem to have this privilege.

Do not get me wrong, I am not in any way challenging the lion’s kingship because we all know that guy is, without a shadow of a doubt, the king of the jungle. But the lioness, I am not convinced!

But if you flip the page and you subject the Thomson’s gazelle to the same definition, you get an exact match – it is almost as if the very name was coined to define the creature. The Thomson’s gazelle is beautiful, graceful, well groomed and above all very elegant.

Despite her exploits in the wild, she does not have muscles. What a queen-like physic she has, would you not agree or do you share the same ignorance as my challengers? If you are not totally convinced and some ignorance is still showing, let me help you see the truth clearly. Remember the story of the lioness who adopted a baby Oryx?

Well, it was not exactly a gazelle but very close. The intimidating beast had just finished devouring the Oryx’s mother when this little terrified creature emerged from the thicket nearby. Instead of making the defenceless infant her dessert, the lioness took pity on it and carried it away to safety.

The lioness first stares at the calf – probably in shock, before roaring angrily at it to make it go away. After attempts to scare the Oryx away fail, she picks it up and carries it off like one of her own cubs.

This is my theory. The baby Oryx and queen to be, had just witnessed one of her subjects, the lioness, commit a terrible crime – murder. In her wisdom, seeing that the lioness might get away with it, she commanded the big cat to accompany her to her palace for punishment. The lioness tried to resist the order but the queen was insistent. What happens after is enough proof for my theory.

The lioness actually obeys the Oryx. Yes, allow that last bit of ignorance to shamefully disappear. We do not know what exactly happens when they get to the palace but your guess is as good as mine.

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. The Thomson’s gazelle is the true queen of the jungle. Do you agree?