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Native to Israel, the dorcas gazelle is found south of the Sea of Galilee on the hills above the Jordan Valley and as far south as the Negev. Gazelles’ hooves are well-adapted to their habitat because they are impervious to the fatally poisonous bites of the Palestinian viper, a snake common to the region. Naturalists are hoping that the restoration of large numbers of gazelle will result in the return of one of its predators, the cheetah, the fastest mammal on earth. Although the cheetah has not yet been seen, there are promising signs that some may already be living in the central Negev.