Antelopes
These animals are known as elipsen waterbuck
Image: Hamsterkiste
1 What are antelopes?
Springboks in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Image: Hamsterkiste
The term antelope refers to several animal species found mainly in Africa and Asia. They look similar, but are usually not related to one another. Antelopes have curved or ringed horns. They are not sheep, goats or cattle. They live in the savanna, a landscape with lots of grass and few trees. They feed exclusively on grass, leaves, and the fruits and shoots of bushes and trees. They give birth to live young, which their mothers nurse during their first few weeks. Antelopes live in large herds. You can learn more about some species here.
2 Dik-dik
Dik-diks grow to only about 35 cm tall
Image: Hans Hillewarts (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Dik-diks are antelopes, but they are only about 35 cm tall—slightly larger than our rabbits. They weigh around 3 to 7 kg. The males have short horns. Dik-diks feed on leaves and fresh grass. They are hunted by lions, leopards, caracals and jackals. They live in dry savannas and semi-deserts with shrubs that offer them some protection. When danger threatens, they flee with bounding leaps, whistling loudly with each jump. The name “dik-dik” is said to imitate the alarm call these antelopes make as they flee. Dik-diks live alone, in pairs or in small groups of up to six. They look for food early in the morning or late in the afternoon, often continuing into the night. During the midday heat, they stay in the shade.
3 Eland
Elephants at a watering hole
Image: Hans Hillewarts (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Eland are the largest and heaviest antelopes living in the African savannas. Males can reach a shoulder height of up to 1.75 meters and weigh up to one tonne. Female eland are smaller and lighter.
Both males and females have upright-growing horns that can reach 1.20 m in length. Despite their size, eland antelopes are excellent jumpers. They feed on leaves and fruit. They use their hooves to dig roots out of the ground. A herd usually consists of about 25 to 70 animals. They visit a watering place once a day. Sometimes they also live alongside zebras.
Lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas prey on them. Some African countries are trying to domesticate eland or crossbreed them with domestic cattle. Eland are much better protected against disease than domestic cattle.
4 Wildebeest
Wildebeest love short, fresh grass
Image: Hamsterkiste
Wildebeest are antelopes, so they are related to springbok, impala, kudu and oryx. Apart from a few subspecies, the main types are white-tailed wildebeest and brindled wildebeest. Wildebeest live in large herds in the savannas of southern Africa, in Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa.
Blue wildebeest grow to around 135 to 150 cm tall and weigh 180 to 250 kg. Their coats are bluish-grey to brown. Both males and females have broad, smooth horns. With a shoulder height of up to 114 cm, the black wildebeest is considerably smaller. It can weigh up to 160 kilograms.
Wildebeest live together in large herds. Only adult males roam alone. Wildebeest mainly eat short, fresh grass. They need to live near waterholes because they need water every day. Adult females give birth to just one calf at a time. Young wildebeest can stand on their legs just two minutes after birth and run with the herd after five minutes. Even so, they often fall prey to hyenas. Adult wildebeest are frequently hunted by lions, especially those that are sick or weak.
5 Impalas
Impalas are chestnut brown on top and white underneath.
Image: Hamsterkiste
Impalas are also known as black-faced antelopes. They are found in Africa in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and northeastern South Africa.
Impalas grow to 110 to 150 cm long and up to 100 cm tall. Their upper parts are chestnut brown and their undersides are white. A male can weigh about 80 kg. Males have horns. A ram lives in a herd with 20 to 30 females and their young. During the dry season, herds of hundreds of animals form. Impalas feed mainly on the short grasses of the savanna, as well as leaves and fruit. They graze in the morning and late afternoon, and then visit a watering hole. Impalas are hunted by leopards, lions, hyenas, wild dogs and jackals. Their only way to escape is to run. They can jump up to 3 meters high and 9 meters far, and can run very fast. They sometimes live alongside baboons: while the impalas keep watch, the baboons defend them with their sharp teeth.
6 Klipspringers
Klipspringers can jump up to 8 m high from a standing start
Image: Frank Vassen / CC BY-SA 2.0
Klipspringers are found in southern Africa, particularly in Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. They are the antelopes with the greatest jumping ability. From a standing start, they can jump up to 8 m high. They walk only on the tips of their hooves. They are mainly found in rocky terrain. There, they can also get a firm footing on steep rocks. This helps protect them from predators. Female klipspringers grow to about 60 cm and weigh around 13 kg. Males are slightly smaller and lighter. Klipspringers feed on leaves, shoots, fruits, and seeds from bushes and shrubs. They do not eat grass.
7 Greater kudu
Greater kudus have one vertical stripe and several horizontal stripes
Image: Hamsterkiste
Kudus are antelopes. There are two species: the greater kudu and the lesser kudu. The greater kudu is found in Africa south of the Sahara. Lesser kudus are found in Tanzania, Kenya and Somalia. They live there in the savanna, acacia woodlands and bushland.
The greater kudu can grow up to 150 cm tall and 250 cm long. It lives in small herds and prefers open woodland and dense bushland near water sources. The lesser kudu reaches a shoulder height of about 1 m. A greater kudu can weigh up to 300 kg. A lesser kudu weighs about 100 kg. Kudu have light gray coats, with a white stripe running down their backs and several horizontal stripes. The males have spiral-shaped horns.
8 Oryx Antelopes
Oryx antelopes have long, straight horns
Image: pixabay.com
Oryx live across Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where it is especially hot and dry. They are adapted to living for long periods without access to water. Oryx are easy to recognize by their long, straight horns, which can reach about 80 cm in length. Their horns are very sharp and can even injure lions.The most common oryx species is the gemsbok. These animals grow to about 120 cm tall. A black stripe runs along their backs and down their sides. Their upperparts are light brown, while their underparts are white. Their heads have black-and-white markings. Oryx weigh about 150 to 180 kg.They feed on grass, twigs, shoots, fruit, and roots. They often graze on their knees. They feed mainly at night, when plants contain more water. They live in small herds and can get by on very little water. In extreme heat, they raise their body temperature.
9 Springboks
Springboks can jump up to 4 m high
Image: Hamsterkiste
Springbok are found in countries in southern Africa: Angola, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.
Springboks can run at speeds of up to 80 km/h. They grow up to 150 cm long and 80 cm tall. Their coats range from reddish to light brown. A dark stripe along their sides separates their backs from their white bellies. Adults weigh 30 to 36 kg. Both males and females grow horns. They have a fold of skin along their backs that they can open when they leap.Springboks live in herds. They feed on grasses, herbs, roots and leaves. They can stand on their hind legs to reach higher branches.When fleeing from predators, they leap 2 to 4 m high and more than 10 m far. Their heads and legs hang down as they arch their backs and open the fold of skin along their backs. This leaping display is called pronking. Females give birth to one calf a year. It follows its mother just a few hours after birth.