Antelope

D

Reedbucks, Waterbucks, and Their Relatives

Reedbucks, waterbucks and their relatives (subfamily Reduncinae) include ten species of antelopes that live in wetlands and tussock grasslands in southern Africa. Their need for water means they rarely stray far from a river or waterhole. The horns of these antelopes typically curve backward from the base and then forward toward the tips, giving them an S-shape. Their horns have a series of ridges or rings known as annuli that give the horns a knobbly appearance. The antelopes in this group have a characteristic shaggy coat. Some species have long fur around the neck, and the two species of waterbuck are shaggy all over with oily fur that gives off a powerful smell. Mammalian hunters, such as lions and leopards, prey upon reedbucks and waterbucks, and crocodiles have been known to attack these antelopes as they drink from rivers.

E

Rheboks

The rhebok or reebok (subfamily Peleinae) is so named because it reminded early white settlers of the roebuck, a type of deer in Europe. Found only in South Africa, the rhebok’s preferred habitat is grassy hills and mountains. The rhebok reaches about 75 cm (30 in) in height at the shoulder. Males possess horns that may extend 28 cm (11 in) in length. Its woolly, curly coat is brownish gray in color.

F

Horse Antelopes

Seven species known as horse antelopes (subfamily Hippotraginae) include the sable antelope, roan antelope, oryx, and addax—large-bodied animals that have a horselike build. They live in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula in a variety of habitats from woodlands to deserts. Despite their collective name, these antelopes are impossible to confuse with real horses because they have exceptionally long horns. The horns of the gemsbok, a type of oryx, are almost straight, and measure up to 1.5 m (nearly 5 ft) long, while the horns of the scimitar-horned oryx curve backward in a graceful arch. Trophy hunters prize horse antelope horns, a fact that has brought some of these animals to the verge of extinction.

G

Gnus, Hartebeests, Blesboks, and Their Relatives

The gnus, hartebeests, blesboks, and their relatives (subfamily Alcelaphinae) make up a group of seven species, or eight if the impala is included (some authorities class the impala in a subfamily of its own called Aepycerotinae). Unlike horse antelopes, these African antelopes have an ungainly build, with sloping backs, narrow heads, and short, sharply bent horns. Some of the most numerous antelopes alive today, these antelopes have a marked tendency for living in large herds. They live in open woodlands or grassy plains, often migrating long distances to find food. Together with gazelles, these antelopes form an important source of food for many of Africa's largest predators, including lions and hyenas.

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H

Other Antelopes

The remaining true antelopes are often classified into a single group (subfamily Antilopinae), although some authorities prefer to divide them into three subdivisions. The smallest of these subdivisions contains just two species, the saiga and the chiru (also known as the Tibetan antelope). Both animals are unusual. The saiga has a distinctive trunklike muzzle, with downward-pointing nostrils. It lives in the low-lying steppes of Central Asia, and some experts believe that its strange nose is an adaptation for breathing cold air. Male saigas have short, slightly curved horns, up to 36 cm (14 in) long. The chiru lives in mountainous regions of Tibet. It has inflatable nasal sacs, which may be an adaptation to breathing at high elevations. Its horns reach 75 cm (30 in) in length, with sharply pointed tips.

A second subdivision is made up by the dwarf antelopes, an entirely African collection of largely forest and woodland animals. They include the dik-diks, klipspringer, and steenbok, and also the royal antelope—the smallest antelope. Numbering about a dozen species, dwarf antelopes are physically very varied: the royal antelope, for example, has an arched back, long back legs, and a short neck, giving it a shape like a rabbit, while the dik-diks look more like typical antelopes that have been scaled down to a small size. Male dwarf antelopes have short straight horns, and the females have no horns.

The third and largest subdivision in the subfamily Antilopinae consists of gazelle and their close relatives. These long-legged, slender, and graceful animals have fawn-colored upperparts and pale undersides, and both males and females grow short S-shaped horns. Gazelles live in Africa and Asia, and their habitats vary from open woodlands and grassy plains to barren high-altitude steppes. There are 16 species, and they include some with large populations, such as Thomson's gazelle, and others, such as Przewalski's gazelle from northern China, that have become extremely rare. Gazelles are fast on their feet and some species have been credited with top speeds of nearly 100 km/h (60 mph).

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