Interesting facts about antelopes



There are 91 different species of antelopes.

They live in Africa, Asia, Middle East and North America.

The antelope is found in a wide range of habitats: savanna, woodlands, marshes and swamps, rain forests, steppes, and desert.



Antelopes live around 10 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.

Antelopes vary in size and shape.

The giant eland is the largest species of antelope, with a body length ranging from 220 to 290 centimeters (87–114 inches) and stand approximately 130 to 180 centimeters (4.3 to 5.9 feet) at the shoulder. They weigh from 400 to 1,000 kilograms (880 to 2,200 pounds).

giant eland


royal antelope

All antelope have horns, they can be straight, spiral, curved or twisted; in some species they are only found on the males, whereas in others, such as gazelles, both males and females have them.





Some antelope are famous for their massive herds, like the thousands of wildebeests making their annual migration across the African plains.

wildebeest herd



Antelopes have stomach adapted for re-chewing of the food (they are ruminants, just like all cows).

Antelopes communicate with each other using a varied array of sounds. Antelopes also use scent signals to communicate; these signals can linger for many days. Antelopes that live in herds have special glands in their hooves that leave a scented record of their movement. If an antelope were accidentally separated from its herd, it would be able to follow the scent tracks back.

Antelope must always be on the lookout for danger, as they make a hearty meal for many predatorsleopards, lions, civets, hyenas, wild dogs, cheetahs, and pythons—depending on species and location. Large birds of prey may take young calves.

antelope lion hunting



antelopes running

Male antelopes are called bucks, females – does and young antelopes – calves.

Courtship and mating behavior in antelopes varies. Dik-diks pair up for life, but in most herd-forming species, courtship begins with a protracted contest between adult males as they compete to gather as many females as they can. In some species males claim a territory that overlaps the territories of several females. In other species, males fight for control of a small courtship arena, known as a lek. Males who successfully hold their ground at the center of the lek mate with many females, while those on the outskirts of the lek are ignored by females.

After mating the gestation period ranges from 4 to 9 months. Female antelopes give birth to a single calf or, more rarely, twins.

antelope mother and baby



In species that migrate or live on large ranges, like hartebeest, topis, bontebok, and wildebeest, the calves are up and on their feet within a few minutes to a day or so after they are born, and they immediately start traveling with the herd.

wildebeests baby



Impala can leap 9 meters (30 feet) horizontally in a single stride. To avoid bushes and other obstacles, impala can soar up to 3 meters (10 feet).

The highest jumper in relation to body side is the klipspringer; at about 60 centimeters (2 feet) tall, this tiny antelope can jump 15 times its own height.

The pronghorn antelope is capable of reaching speeds up to 100 kilometer (60 mph) per hour.


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