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Table of Contents
An antelope is a hoofed mammal that belongs to the Bovidae family and looks like a deer. It is commonly found in Africa, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.
See the fact file below for more information on the antelope or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Antelope worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
- Antelope refers to many browsing species, even-toed, hoofed, ruminant mammals that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.
- They belong to the family Bovidae.
- With 91 species, antelope have adapted to many different ecological areas and vary significantly in their size, shape, and diet.
- A male eland can measure 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) at the shoulder and weigh as much as 2,100 lb (950 kg).
- A royal antelope may only measure 9.5 in (24 cm) at the shoulder and weigh as little as 3.3 lb (1.5 kg).
- They are built for speed, and their coloration is camouflaging.
Etymology and Distribution
- The name antelope has multiple origins.
- from the Old French word antelop
- from the Medieval Latin word ant(h)alopus
- from the Greek word anthólops, referring to an elusive horned animal once found along the banks of Euphrates.
- Antelopes are a group in the bovine family. The bovine family has 143 species which include bison, cattle, goats, and sheep.
- Of the 91 species of antelope, 72 species are from Africa.
- There are no antelope species native to Australia.
- Species of antelopes include the impala, oryx, gazelle, klipspringer, eland, waterbuck, springbok, and wildebeest.
- Around 25 species are endangered/threatened with extinction.
- Depending on the species, antelopes inhabit grasslands, woodlands, savannahs, deserts, plains, and even swamps. The Impala, for instance, lives in woodlands, the wildebeest live in the grasslands, while the sitatunga resides in the swamps.
Physical Characteristics
- Antelopes, like most mammals, are warm-blooded, have fur, and have live births.
- All antelopes are even-toed, meaning their hooves are divided into two toes.
- Antelope’s hooves differ depending on their habitat. The hooves of antelopes living in the desert are flat, while those of antelopes that climb are suction-like.
- All male antelopes have horns that vary in size and shape because of the many different species.
- The horns can be curved or pointed, spiraled or straight, long or short. Some species’ horns grow as big as 5 ft (1.5 mt).
- Antelope horns are bony, made of keratin, and grow continuously.
- The horns of antelopes function as protection from predators and also against other antelopes during mating season.
- Some species have four horns, specifically the Asian antelope.
- Most female antelopes do not have horns; the exception is the Eland.
- Antelopes are ruminants, so they have well-developed molar teeth which grind cud (regurgitated 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.
- Antelopes have horizontal pupils, excellent vision as well as amazing hearing.
- Antelopes make a wide range of sounds, from moo sounds like that of cows to whistles and barks.
Facts on Different Species
- The tawny Eland antelope, with white torso stripes, is the biggest and slowest antelope. It can grow to 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and weigh up to 1,450 pounds (658 kg).
- The reddish-brown Royal antelope is the smallest antelope. It stands about 10 in (25 cm) high and weighs about 7 lb (3 kg). It has a short tail, big eyes, small, transparent ears, and sharp back-slanted spikes for horns.
- The graceful Impala is the second fastest mammal next to the cheetah. The slender, agile creature can run at speeds of nearly 40 mph (60 kph) and can also leap over 33 ft (10 m) in length.
- Kudu antelopes have spiraled horns, the Impala antelopes have ridged horns, and the wildebeest antelope has curved, pointed antlers.
- The klipspringer antelope climbs steep and rocky mountains, so it has suction-like padded hooves to help it do so.
- The duiker gets its name from the Afrikaans word “duiken,” meaning “to dive”. This species dives into the vegetation to escape its predators.
- Springbok and Gazelles are known for their speed and leaping abilities.
Reproduction and Young
- Antelope are often classified by their reproductive behavior.
- Small antelopes, living in forest environments with patchy resources, tend to be monogamous.
- Larger forest species often form small herds of two to four females and one male.
- Large grazing antelopes tend to form larger herds made up of many females and a single breeding male.
- Antelope becomes sexually mature at six to eight months of age, with males usually developing more slowly than females.
- The mating season is called a rut.
- Some species fight for their mates in a courtship arena called a lek they make for themselves.
- Depending on the species, gestation lasts between four and nine months.
- Females usually give birth to a single calf but may occasionally have twins.
- In most species, the pregnant antelope will leave the herd shortly before giving birth, seeking a hiding space like a thicket where she can safely deliver and hide her calf.
- After she gives birth, she leaves the calf hidden throughout the day while she goes off to graze.
- Fawns drink milk for the first few months of life, and the mother returns during the day to nurse her fawn.
- After a few weeks, the fawns gradually start to wean onto grasses, leaves, and twigs and join the mother grazing in the open.
Other Interesting Antelope Facts
- Male antelopes are called bucks. A female is a doe, and a young antelope is a calf.
- Antelopes are typically found in groups known as herds.
- Antelopes can be very social. Wildebeests, for example, migrate in herds of thousands.
- Antelopes are herbivores that only eat plants, seeds, and grass.
- When it comes to food, antelopes are smart! They will often follow zebras to find tender grass because zebras tend to eat the tougher parts of the grassland, leaving the tender grass that the antelope prefers.
- Antelopes that are big enough to stand up on their hind legs eat leaves from trees.
- The duiker antelope eats bugs like worms and caterpillars and even baby birds.
- Common predators of antelopes are cheetahs, leopards, lions, crocodiles, pythons, and hyenas.
- The defense mechanisms of antelopes vary with the species.
- Small antelopes hide from their predators.
- Gazelles run for their lives.
- Springboks “pronk” and leap in the air.
- Other species “stot” or bounce.
- They all rely on their keen sense of hearing.
- Some species of antelopes are endangered because of habitat loss, poaching, and hunting.
- Antelopes have been imported to the US primarily for exotic game hunting.
- The average lifespan of antelopes is eight to ten years in the wild and up to twenty years in captivity.
- Antelopes are heraldic symbols.
- In Christianity, the horns of an antelope signify the Old Testament and the New Testament.
- Antelopes do not make good pets as they are challenging to tame.
Antelope Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about antelope across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Antelope worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the antelope, which is a hoofed mammal that belongs to the Bovidae family and looks like a deer. It is commonly found in Africa, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
- Antelope Facts
- My Antelope Drawing
- Describe Me!
- That’s An Antelope!
- Name the Antelope
- All About the Horn
- Antelope or Nope
- Home of the Antelope
- Species Crossword
- Five Favorite Facts
- Antelope Acrostics
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of antelope are there?
There are 91 species of antelope, most of which are native to Africa. There are 72 antelope species in Africa, of which 21 are found in Kruger National Park/Game Reserve. Fourteen species inhabit the continent of Asia.
Are antelope and deer the same?
No antelope and deer are different species. Antelope come from the family Bovidae and are more closely related to cattle, bison, and buffalo. Deer come from the family Cervidae, and that group includes reindeer, elk, moose, and deer.
Which is the biggest antelope?
The world’s largest antelope is the Eland. Unlike most species of antelope, both the males and females have tightly spiraled, V-shaped horns, which can be nearly 48 in (123 cm) long. The horns of the female tend to be thinner and longer than that of the male.
Which is the smallest antelope?
The royal antelope is the world’s smallest antelope. It lives in West Africa’s lowland rainforest and is hare-sized. It stands about 10 in (25 cm) tall and weighs around 7 lb (3 kg). The smallest antelope in Southern Africa is the Blue Duiker. It grows to about 11 in (30 cm) at the shoulders and only weighs around 8.8 lb (4 kg).
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