A stricter grouping, known as thetrue antelopes, includes only thegeneraGazella,Nanger,Eudorcas, andAntilope.[1] OneNorth American mammal, thepronghorn or "pronghorn antelope", is colloquially referred to as the "American antelope", despite the fact that it belongs to a completely different family (Antilocapridae) than the true Old-World antelopes; pronghorn are the sole extant member of a lineage that once included many species which went extinct in the prehistoric period.
Although antelopes are sometimes misidentified as "deer" (cervids), the groups are only distantly related. While antelopes are found in abundance in Africa, there is only one living African deer species: theBarbary stag of North Africa. By comparison, numerous deer species are found in regions of the world with few or no antelope species present, such as throughoutSoutheast Asia,Europe and all ofthe Americas. This is likely due to competition over shared resources, as deer and antelope fill a virtually identicalecological niche in their respective habitats. Countries like India, however, have large populations of endemic deer and antelope, with the different species generally keeping to their own "niches" with minimal overlap.
Unlike deer, in which males of most species sportantlers that are shed and regrown annually, antelope horns are bone and grow steadily, never falling off. If a horn is broken, it will either remain broken or take years to partially regenerate, depending on the species.[2]
The English word "antelope" first appeared in 1417 and is derived from theOld Frenchantelop, itself derived fromMedieval Latinant(h)alopus, which in turn comes from theByzantine Greek word ἀνθόλοψ,anthólops, first attested inEustathius of Antioch (c. 336), according to whom it was afabulous animal "haunting the banks of the Euphrates, very savage, hard to catch and having long, saw-like horns capable of cutting down trees".[3] It perhaps derives from Greek ἀνθος,anthos (flower) and ώψ,ops (eye), perhaps meaning "beautiful eye" or alluding to the animals' long eyelashes. This, however, may be afolk etymology in Greek based on some earlier root. The wordtalopus andcalopus, from Latin, came to be used inheraldry. In 1607, it was first used for living,cervine animals.
There are 91 antelope species, most of which are native to Africa, in about 30 genera. The classification of tribes or subfamilies withinBovoidea is still a matter of debate, with several alternative systems proposed.
More species of antelope are native toAfrica than to any other continent, almost exclusively insavannahs, with 25-40 species co-occurring over much of East Africa.[5] Because savannah habitat in Africa has expanded and contracted five times over the last three million years, and the fossil record indicates this is when most extant species evolved, it is believed that isolation in refugia during contractions was a major driver of this diversification.[6] Other species occur in Asia: theArabian Peninsula is home to theArabian oryx andDorcas gazelle. South Asia is home to thenilgai,chinkara,blackbuck,Tibetan antelope, andfour-horned antelope, while Russia and Central Asia have the Tibetan antelope andsaiga.
No antelope species is native toAustralasia orAntarctica, nor do any extant species occur in theAmericas, though the nominate saiga subspecies occurred in North America during the Pleistocene. North America is currently home to the nativepronghorn, which taxonomists do not consider a member of the antelope group, but which is often locally referred to as such (e.g., "American antelope"). InEurope, several extinct species occur in the fossil record, and the saiga was found widely during thePleistocene but did not persist into the laterHolocene,[7] except in RussianKalmykia andAstrakhan Oblast.[8]
Many species of antelope have been imported to other parts of the world, especially the United States, for exotic game hunting. With some species possessing spectacular leaping and evasive skills, individuals may escape.Texas in particular has many game ranches, as well as habitats and climates that are very hospitable to African and Asian plains antelope species. Accordingly, wild populations of blackbuck antelope,gemsbok, andnilgai may be found in Texas.[9]
Antelope live in a wide range of habitats. Most live in the Africansavannahs. However, many species are more secluded, such as the forest antelope, as well as the extreme cold-living saiga, the desert-adaptedArabian oryx, the rockykoppie-livingklipspringer, and semiaquaticsitatunga.[10]
Species living in forests, woodland, or bush tend to be sedentary, but many of the plains species undertake long migrations. These enable grass-eating species to follow the rains and thereby their food supply. Thegnus andgazelles ofEast Africa perform some of the most impressive mass migratory circuits of all mammals.[11]
Antelope vary greatly in size. For example, a malecommon eland can measure 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) at the shoulder and weigh almost 950 kg (2,100 lb), whereas an adultroyal antelope may stand only 24 cm (9+1⁄2 in) at the shoulder and weigh a mere1.5 kg (3+1⁄4 lb).
Not surprisingly for animals with long, slender yet powerful legs, many antelope have long strides and can run fast. Some (e.g. klipspringer) are also adapted to inhabiting rock koppies and crags. Bothdibatags andgerenuks habitually stand on their two hind legs to reachacacia and other tree foliage. Different antelope have different body types, which can affect movement. Duikers are short, bush-dwelling antelope that can pick through dense foliage and dive into the shadows rapidly.Gazelle andspringbok are known for their speed and leaping abilities. Even larger antelope, such as nilgai,elands, andkudus, are capable of jumping 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) or greater, although their running speed is restricted by their greater mass.
Antelope have a wide variety of coverings, though most have a dense coat of short fur. In most species, the coat (pelage) is some variation of a brown colour (or several shades of brown), often with white or pale underbodies. Exceptions include the zebra-markedzebra duiker, the grey, black, and whiteJentink's duiker, and theblack lechwe. Most of the "spiral-horned" antelope have pale, vertical stripes on their backs. Many desert and semidesert species are particularly pale, some almost silvery or whitish (e.g. Arabian oryx); thebeisa andsouthern oryxes have gray and black pelages with vivid black-and-white faces. Common features of variousgazelles are white rumps, which flash a warning to others when they run from danger, and dark stripes midbody (the latter feature is also shared by the springbok and beira). The springbok also has a pouch of white, brushlike hairs running along its back, which opens up when the animal senses danger, causing the dorsal hairs to stand on end.
Many antelope are sexually dimorphic. In most species, both sexes have horns, but those of males tend to be larger. Males tend to be larger than the females, but exceptions in which the females tend to be heavier than the males include thebush duiker,dwarf antelope,Cape grysbok, andoribi, all rather small species. A number of species have hornless females (e.g.,sitatunga,red lechwe, andsuni). In some species, the males and females have differently coloured pelages (e.g.blackbuck andnyala).
Many wild antelopes are characterized by high running and jumping abilities. Their main defence against predators is to try to escape.
Species such asblack wildebeest,springbok,blesbok,mountain reedbuck,greater kudu as well theEuropean fallow deer have a high concentrations ofglycoliticfast twitch type IIx muscle fibers; smaller species naturally have a higher concentrations of type IIx fibers than larger species.[12][13][14] Although their concentration of type IIx fibers is still lower than that of the wildcheetah, other running-adapted mammal; wild cheetahvastus lateralis muscle have a concentration of 76 % of type IIx fibers, compared to 58 % of springbok, 57 % of mountain reedbuck, 55 % of blesbok, 48 % of European fallow deer, 43 % of greater kudu and 30 % black wildebeest.[15]
The activity of the anaerobic enzymeLDH, an indicator of a principally anaerobic muscle metabolism, is around 4 times more higher than that of humans, a level of activity comparable to that of thelion, but lower than that of the wildcaracal and especially that of the wild cheetah; LDH activity is 6 times higher than that of the humans in caracal and 9 times higher in the wild cheetah.[16][15]
Activity of aerobic enzymesCS and3HAD is higher than that of the felids in general and is comparable to that of human endurance runners. This indicates muscles capable of both high speed and high endurance.[12][14]
Impala muscles, on the other hand, have a high concentrations of oxidative-glycolitic fast twitch type IIa muscle fibers.[17]
Both impala andreindeer have a CS level activity comparable to that of the human endurance runners and their muscle metabolism appears to be principally aerobic, indicating muscles capable of high endurance.[17]
In the impala, hindlimbs muscles form 17.5 % of their body mass while forelimbs muscles form 11.3 %.[18] Compared to the reindeer in which hind and forelimb muscles form 14.8 % and 10.9 % of their body mass, respectively.[19]
Furthermore, antelopes tend to have elongated limb bones for their body masses.[20]
A maximum running speed of 63.7 km/h for the impala and 54 km/h for theblue wildebeest has been estimated by GPS-IMU collars.[18][21] A top speed of 65.2 km/h is obtained by calculating the distance and time it takes aThomson's gazelle to escape from an approaching human.[22] Film analysis of lion hunts gives a maximum speed of 90 km/h for the Thomson's gazelle.[23] By speedometer reading when an animal runs alongside a car on a straight course, a maximum speed of up to 70 km/h has been estimated for theeland and thetopi, and up to 80 km/h for thehartebeest, blue wildebeest,Grant's gazelle and Thomson's gazelle.[24]
Red forest duikers can jump cleanly over fences 1.6 m high, an impressive feat considering their shoulder height of 30 cm.[25] Impalas can jump highs of 2.4 m (8 ft).[26]
Female Thomson's gazelles have been reported to be faster and more agile than males.[24] This is in line with the fact that female springboks, another antilopine, have higher concentrations of type IIx fibres and probably also a higher amount of muscleglycogen than males.[27]
Antelope areruminants, so they have well-developedmolar teeth, which grindcud (food balls stored in the stomach) into a pulp for further digestion. They have no upper incisors, but rather a hard upper gum pad, against which their lower incisors bite to tear grass stems and leaves.
Like many otherherbivores, antelope rely on keen senses to avoid predators. Their eyes are placed on the sides of their heads, giving them a broad radius of vision with minimal binocular vision. Their horizontally elongated pupils also help in this respect. Acute senses of smell and hearing give antelope the ability to perceive danger at night out in the open (when predators are often on the prowl). These same senses play an important role in contact between individuals of the same species; markings on their heads, ears, legs, and rumps are used in such communication. Many species "flash" such markings, as well as their tails; vocal communications include loud barks, whistles, "moos", and trumpeting; many species also usescent marking to define theirterritories or simply to maintain contact with their relatives and neighbors.
"Antelope horns" redirects here. For the milkweed commonly known as antelope horns, seeAsclepias asperula.
Antelope horns
The size and shape of antelope horns varies greatly. Those of the duikers and dwarf antelope tend to be simple "spikes", but differ in the angle to the head from backward curved and backward pointing (e.g.yellow-backed duiker) to straight and upright (e.g.steenbok). Other groups have twisted (e.g.common eland), spiral (e.g.greater kudu), "recurved" (e.g. thereedbucks), lyrate (e.g.impala), or long, curved (e.g. theoryxes) horns. Horns are not shed and their bony cores are covered with a thick, persistent sheath ofhorny material, both of which distinguish them from antlers.[28]
Antelope horns are efficient weapons, and tend to be better developed in those species where males fight over females (large herd antelope) than in solitary orlekking species. With male-male competition for mates, horns are clashed in combat. Males more commonly use their horns against each other than against another species. The boss of the horns is typically arranged in such a way that two antelope striking at each other's horns cannot crack each other's skulls, making a fight via horn more ritualized than dangerous. Many species have ridges in their horns for at least two-thirds the length of their horns, but these ridges are not a direct indicator of age.
Antelope are often classified by their reproductive behavior.
Small antelope, such asdik-diks, tend to be monogamous. They live in a forest environment with patchy resources, and a male is unable to monopolize more than one female due to this sparse distribution. Larger forest species often form very small herds of two to four females and one male.
Some species, such aslechwes, pursue a lek breeding system, where the males gather on a lekking ground and compete for a small territory, while the females appraise males and choose one with which to mate.
Large grazing antelope, such asimpala orwildebeest, form large herds made up of many females and a single breeding male, which excludes all other males, often by combat.
Fast-runninggazelles prefer open grassland habitat
Antelope pursue a number of defense strategies, often dictated by their morphology.
Large antelope that gather in large herds, such as wildebeest, rely on numbers and running speed for protection. In some species, adults will encircle the offspring, protecting them from predators when threatened. Many forest antelope rely oncryptic coloring and good hearing to avoid predators. Forest antelope often have very large ears and dark or striped colorations. Small antelope, especiallyduikers, evade predation by jumping into dense bush where the predator cannot pursue.[29] Springboks use a behavior known asstotting to confuse predators.
Open grassland species have nowhere to hide from predators, so they tend to be fast runners. They areagile and have goodendurance—these are advantages when pursued by sprint-dependent predators such ascheetahs, which are the fastest of land animals, but tire quickly. Reaction distances vary with predator species and behaviour. For example, gazelles may not flee from alion until it is closer than 200 m (650 ft)—lions hunt as a pride or by surprise, usually by stalking; one that can be seen clearly is unlikely to attack. However, sprint-dependent cheetahs will cause gazelles to flee at a range of over800 metres (1⁄2 mile).[30]
If escape is not an option, antelope are capable of fighting back.Oryxes in particular have been known to stand sideways like many unrelated bovids to appear larger than they are, and may charge at a predator as a last resort.[31]
About 25 species are rated by theIUCN asendangered,[32] such as thedama gazelle andmountain nyala. A number of subspecies are also endangered, including thegiant sable antelope and themhorr gazelle. The main causes for concern for these species are habitat loss, competition with cattle for grazing, and trophy hunting.
The chiru orTibetan antelope is hunted for its pelt, which is used in makingshahtoosh wool, used in shawls. Since the fur can only be removed from dead animals, and each animal yields very little of thedowny fur, several antelope must be killed to make a single shawl. This unsustainable demand has led to enormous declines in the chiru population.[33][34]
The saiga is hunted for its horns, which are considered anaphrodisiac by some cultures. Only the males have horns, and have been so heavily hunted that some herds contain up to 800 females to one male. The species showed a steep decline and was formerly classified as critically endangered.[35] However, the saigas have experienced a massive regrowth[36] and are now classified as near threatened.[37]
It is difficult to determine how long antelope live in the wild. With the preference of predators towards old and infirm individuals, which can no longer sustain peak speeds, few wild prey-animals live as long as their biological potential. In captivity, wildebeest have lived beyond 20 years old, and impalas have reached their late teens.[38]
The antelope's horn is prized for supposed medicinal and magical powers in many places. The horn of the male saiga, in Eastern practice, is ground as an aphrodisiac, for which it has been hunted nearly to extinction.[39] In theCongo, it is thought to confine spirits. The antelope's ability to run swiftly has also led to their association with thewind, such as in theRig Veda, as the steeds of theMaruts and the wind godVayu. There is, however, no scientific evidence that the horns of any antelope have any change on a human's physiology or characteristics.
In Mali, antelope were believed to have brought the skills of agriculture to mankind.[40]
Domestication of animals requires certain traits in the animal that antelope do not typically display. Most species are difficult to contain in any density, due to the territoriality of the males, or in the case oforyxes (which have a relatively hierarchical social structure), an aggressive disposition; they can easily kill a human. Because many have extremely good jumping abilities, providing adequate fencing is a challenge. Also, antelope will consistently display a fear response to perceived predators, such as humans, making them very difficult to herd or handle. Although antelope have diets and rapid growth rates highly suitable for domestication, this tendency topanic and their non-hierarchical social structure explains why farm-raised antelope are uncommon. Ancient Egyptians kept herds of gazelles andaddax for meat, and occasionally pets. It is unknown whether they were truly domesticated, but it seems unlikely, as no domesticated gazelles exist today.
However, humans have had success taming certain species, such as theelands. These antelope sometimes jump over each other's backs when alarmed, but this incongruous talent seems to be exploited only by wild members of the species; tame elands do not take advantage of it and can be enclosed within a very low fence. Their meat, milk, and hides are all of excellent quality, and experimental eland husbandry has been going on for some years in bothUkraine and Zimbabwe. In both locations, the animal has proved wholly amenable to domestication.[41] Similarly, European visitors to Arabia reported "tame gazelles are very common in the Asiatic countries of which the species is a native; and the poetry of these countries abounds in allusions both to the beauty and the gentleness of the gazelle."[42] Other antelope that have been tamed successfully include thegemsbok,[43] thekudu,[44] and thespringbok.[44]
A wide variety of antelopehybrids have been recorded in zoos, game parks, and wildlife ranches, due to either a lack of more appropriate mates in enclosures shared with other species or a misidentification of species. The ease of hybridization shows how closely related some antelope species are. With few exceptions, most hybrid antelope occur only in captivity.
Most hybrids occur between species within the same genus. All reported examples occur within the same subfamily. As with most mammal hybrids, the less closely related the parents, the more likely the offspring will be sterile.[38]
Arms of theDuke of Abercorn in Scotland, featuring two silver antelope
Antelope are a common symbol inheraldry, though they occur in a highly distorted form from nature. The heraldic antelope has the body of astag and the tail of alion, with serrated horns, and a small tusk at the end of its snout. This bizarre and inaccurate form was invented by European heralds in the Middle Ages, who knew little of foreign animals and made up the rest. The antelope was mistakenly imagined to be a monstrous beast of prey; the 16th century poetEdmund Spenser referred to it as being "as fierce and fell as awolf."[45]
Antelope can all also occur in their natural form, in which case they are termed "natural antelope" to distinguish them from the more usual heraldic antelope.[46] The arms previously used by theRepublic of South Africa featured a natural antelope, along with anoryx.
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