| Klipspringer | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Oreotraginae Pocock, 1910 |
| Genus: | Oreotragus A. Smith, 1834 |
| Species: | O. oreotragus |
| Binomial name | |
| Oreotragus oreotragus (Zimmermann, 1783) | |
| Subspecies | |
See text | |
 | |
| Klipspringer range | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
List
| |
Theklipspringer (/ˈklɪpˌsprɪŋər/;Oreotragus oreotragus) is a smallantelope found ineastern andsouthernAfrica. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was firstdescribed by German zoologistEberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope; it reaches 43–60 centimetres (17–23+1⁄2 inches) at the shoulder and weighs from 8 to 18 kilograms (18 to 40 pounds). Thecoat of the klipspringer, yellowish gray to reddish brown, acts as an efficientcamouflage in its rocky habitat. Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs. Thehorns, short and spiky, typically measure7.5–9 cm (3–3+1⁄2 in).
Typicallynocturnal, the klipspringer rests during the middle of the day and late at night. A gregarious animal, the klipspringer ismonogamous to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes exhibit long-term to lifelongpair bonding. The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 m (16 ft) of each other at most times. Males formterritories,7.5–49 hectares (18+1⁄2–121 acres), in which they stay with their partners and offspring. Primarily abrowser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers.Gestation lasts around six months, following which a single calf is born; births peak from spring to early summer. The calf leaves its mother when it turns a year old.
The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. Its range extends from northeasternSudan,Eritrea,Somaliland andEthiopia[3] in the east to South Africa in the south, and along coastal Angola and Namibia. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the klipspringer asLeast Concern. There are no major threats to the survival of the klipspringer, as its habitat is inaccessible and unfavourable for hunting. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas throughout its range.
Thescientific name of the klipspringer isOreotragus oreotragus/ˌɔːriˈɒtrəɡəs/, from Greek ὄρος (óros), "mountain", and τράγος (trágos), "he-goat". It is the sole member of thegenusOreotragus and subfamilyOreotraginae or tribeOreotragini,[4] and is classified under thefamilyBovidae. Thespecies was firstdescribed by German zoologistEberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783, who gave it the scientific nameAntilope oreotragus, and it was only given its own separate genus in 1834.[2][5] The vernacular name "klipspringer" is acompound of theAfrikaans wordsklip ("rock") andspringer ("leaper"). Another name for thisantelope is "klipbok".[6]
In 1934, South African paleontologistRobert Broom studied a fossilized right maxillary bone from the cave deposits ofTaung, South Africa, and believed they represent an extinct genus and species that lived during thePliocene orPleistocene epochs, which he assigned the namePalaeotragiscus longiceps.[7] Later in 1952, another South African paleontologist, Lawrence H. Wells, described an antelope skull found five years earlier inSwartkrans, and believed it represented a prehistoric species related to the klipspringer. He named this speciesOreotragus major, believing it was distinguished from the modern klipspringer by its larger size.[8] However, bothPalaeotragiscus longiceps andOreotragus major were later determined not to differ from the modern klipspringer in any significant aspects, so they are now considered to bejunior synonyms ofOreotragus oreotragus.[5][9]
A 2012phylogenetic study showed that the klipspringer is closely related toKirk's dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii) and thesuni (Neotragus moschatus). The klipspringer evolved nearly 14 million years ago. Thecladogram below is based on this study.[10]
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As many as 11subspecies have been identified, though zoologistsColin Groves andPeter Grubb treat a few of them as independent species in a 2011 publication:[11][12][13]
_head.jpg)
The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope reaching43–60 cm (17–23+1⁄2 in) at the shoulder. The head-and-body length is typically between 75 and 115 cm (30 and 45 in). It weighs from 8 to 18 kg (18 to 40 lb).[11] The klipspringer issexually dimorphic; females are slightly larger and heavier than the males.[12][14] The tail measures6.5–10.5 cm (2+1⁄2–4+1⁄4 in).[11] Prominent facial features include the brown forehead, short ears marked with black, prominentpreorbital glands near the eyes, and white lips and chin. Thehorns, short and spiky, present only on males, typically measure7.5–9 cm (3–3+1⁄2 in); the maximum recorded horn length is15.9 cm (6+1⁄4 in).[12][14]
Thecoat of the klipspringer, yellowish gray to reddish brown, acts as an efficientcamouflage in its rocky habitat; the underbelly is white.[15] Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs.[16] Theincisors might even get damaged by the hairs while grooming.[17] However, the coat is a significant adaptation that saves the animal during steep falls and provides effective insulation in the extreme climates characteristic of its mountain habitat.[16] A study showed that ticks occur in larger numbers on the underbelly, where the hair is less coarse.[17] The hair often turns erect, especially if the animal is ill or if its temperature increases.[11] Another feature unique to the klipspringer is its gait; it walks on the tips of its cylindrical, blunt hooves.[14][15] This enhances the grip on the ground, enabling the animal to deftly climb and jump over rocky surfaces.[16]
The subspecies vary in coat colour – from golden yellow in the Cape klipspringer, Ethiopian klipspringer, golden klipspringer and Transvaal klipspringer to ochre or rufous in the Maasai klipspringer, Stevenson's klipspringer and Zambian klipspringer. Cape klipspringer populations tend to have the largest males, while Maasai klipspringer exhibit the largest females.[13]
Typicallynocturnal (active mainly at night), the klipspringer rests during the midday and at late night; the animal tends to be more active on moonlit nights. It basks in the morning sunlight to warm itself.[11] A gregarious animal, the klipspringer, like thedik-diks and theoribi, exhibitsmonogamy to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes form pairs that might last until one dies.[18][19] The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 m (16 ft) of each other at most times; for instance, they take turns at keeping a lookout for predators while the other feeds, and face any danger together. The klipspringer will hop a few metres away from the danger.[18][19] Other social groups include small family herds of eight or more members or solitary individuals. Klipspringer greet one another by rubbing cheeks at social meetings.[20]
Males formterritories,7.5–49 hectares (18+1⁄2–121 acres) large (the size depends on rainfall patterns), in which they stay with their partners and offspring.[21] Males are generally more vigilant than females. Klipspringer form large dung heaps, nearly 1 m (3 ft 3 in) across and 10 cm (4 in) deep, at the borders of territories; another form ofmarking is the secretion of a thick, black substance, measuring5 mm (1⁄4 in) across, from the preorbital glands onto vegetation and rocks in the territories.[16][22] A study revealed that thetickIxodes neitzi detects and aggregates on twigs marked by the klipspringer.[23] Another study showed that plants near the borders with neighbouring territories are particularly preferred for marking.[24] The main vocalisation is a shrill whistle, given out by the klipspringer pair in a duet, as a means of communication or anti-predator response. Predators include thebaboon,black-backed jackal,caracal,crowned eagle,leopard,martial eagle,serval,spotted hyena andVerreaux's eagle.[11][25] Birds such asfamiliar chats,pale-winged starlings,red-winged starlings andyellow-bellied bulbuls have been observed feeding onectoparasites of klipspringer.[25]
Primarily abrowser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers. Grasses, eaten mainly in the wet season, form a minor portion of the diet. Some plants, such asVellozia, may be preferred seasonally. Klipspringer depend mainly onsucculent plants, and not on water bodies, to meet their water requirement.[11][12] They can stand on their hindlegs to reach tall branches up to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) above the ground; some individuals in Namibia were observed climbingFaidherbia albida trees up to a height of 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in).[25]
The klipspringer is a seasonal breeder; the time when mating occurs varies geographically. Females becomesexually mature by the time they are a year old; males take slightly longer to mature. Mating behaviour has not been extensively observed.[11][12]Gestation lasts around six months, following which a single calf, weighing slightly more than 1 kg (2 lb), is born; births peak from spring to early summer. Births take place in dense vegetation. The newborn is carefully hidden for up to three months to protect it from the view of predators; the mother suckles it three to four times a day, the visits gradually lengthen as the offspring grows. Males are protective of their offspring, keeping a watch for other males and predators.[11][12] The calf is weaned at four to five months,[25] and leaves its mother when it turns a year old. The klipspringer lives for around 15 years.[11][12]
The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. It migrates to lowlands at times of food scarcity. The klipspringer occurs at altitudes as high as 4,500 m (15,000 ft) onMount Kilimanjaro.[11][26] The klipspringer can occur at high population densities in favourable habitats extending over a large area; 10 to 14 individuals occur per square kilometre in theSimien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. However, the habitat is typically rocky over long stretches and grassy terrain is discontinuous; consequently the population density is typically between 0.01 and 0.1 individual per square kilometre.[1]
The antelope occurs in significant numbers across eastern and southern Africa; its range extends from northeasternSudan,Eritrea, northern Somalia and Ethiopia in the east to South Africa in the south, and along coastal Angola and Namibia. Smaller populations occur in the northern and western highlands ofCentral African Republic, southeasternDemocratic Republic of Congo,Jos Plateau and east ofGashaka Gumti National Park inNigeria. It is feared to be extinct inBurundi.[1][26]
_feet.jpg)
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the klipspringer asLeast Concern.[1] The klipspringer is hunted for its meat, leather and hair.[27] However, there are no major threats to the survival of the klipspringer, as its habitat is inaccessible and unfavourable for hunting. Moreover, the antelope does not have to compete with livestock, that do not frequentmontane areas. However, populations at lower altitudes are more vulnerable to elimination.[26]
In 1999, Rod East of the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group estimated the total population of klipspringer at 42,000. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas such as theSimien andBale Mountains National Parks (Ethiopia); TsavoEast andWest National Parks (Kenya);North andSouth Luangwa National Parks (Zambia);Nyika National Park (Malawi);Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia); andMatobo National Park (Zimbabwe).[1][26]
Media related toOreotragus oreotragus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toOreotragus oreotragus at Wikispecies
