About
Range: Africa, Asia, and Middle East
Habitat: Savanna, woodlands, marshes and swamps, rain forests, steppes, and desert
What IS an antelope?
The word antelope has been used to describe a wide variety of horned mammals in the Family Bovidae. There are even some species within the Bovidae family that are known as goat-antelope! For the purposes of this fact sheet, we'll focus on some of the species in the Antilopinae subfamily, animals commonly called antelope as well as those such as impalas, gazelles, and gnu or wildebeest. Be sure to see Goats & Sheep, Oryx, and Nile Lechwe to read about other Antilopinae subfamily members.
It's all about horns...
All antelope have horns; in some species they are only found on the males, whereas in others, such as gazelles, both males and females have them. The horns are made of a bony core encased in a hard material made largely of keratin (the same substance our fingernails are made of!). Horns are permanently attached, unlike a deer's antlers, which are shed each year. Some horns, like those of the addax and blackbuck, twist in interesting spirals; others are ridged or corrugated, like those of the impala and the sable antelope; still others grow in wide curves with a sharp point on the end, like those of the gnu.
...and hooves
Hooves are another specialty for many antelope. Each hoof has a split down the middle, dividing the hoof into two toes. Lechwes, which live in swampy areas, have long, pointed hooves to give them sure footing in the water. Slender-horned gazelles have sturdy, wide hooves for walking on the shifting sand of their desert habitat. And klipspringer have tiny, rounded hooves with a pad in the center that acts like a suction cup, allowing these nimble antelope to hop from rock to rock without falling.
At home in a habitat
The majority of antelope are native to Africa, but there are some species living in the Middle East and Asia. Most live in open grasslands, but the smaller duikers, most sunis, and royal antelope live in Central Africa's rain forests or wooded areas, dik diks live in arid bush country with heavy vegetation, and mountain sunis dwell in the highland forests of southern Kenya. Waterbuck, as their name suggests, and lechwe are never far from water.
Staying safe
Antelope must always be on the lookout for danger, as they make a hearty meal for many predators— leopards, lions, civets, hyenas, wild dogs, cheetahs, and pythons—depending on species and location. Large birds of prey may take young calves. But antelope do have some ways to keep safe. Freezing: When a Maxwell's duiker sense danger, it freezes, often with one leg off of the ground, so as not to be noticed. Alarm calls: Maxwell's duikers use two vocalizations: an alarm whistle and a loud bleat; klipspringer make a loud, shrill whistle. A rhebok sentinel or lookout stays on guard and alerts its group with a cough-like grunt if a threat is discovered. Running: Yellow-backed duikers dart with great speed into the protection of dense vegetation. A threatened gerenuk lowers its head and neck, and then either slowly creeps away or makes a fast dash for survival. Although rheboks tend to run from danger, males have been seen attacking and chasing baboons. Jumping: Springbok and beira escape with bounding leaps that often confuse a predator giving chase. Gazelles have a stiff-legged jump called a stot. Hiding: Lechwes spend their life near water and can jump in and swim away if they feel threatened. They also hide in water, with only their nose sticking out. Royal antelope try to stay hidden to avoid trouble. Steenbok often hide, lying flat against the ground with their neck outstretched—they won't run away until the predator is about to step on them! Odor: It is said a waterbuck's body odor alone deters most predators. Horns: Don't forget those horns—antelope can use their sharp horns to defend themselves if needed.
