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Antelope
An antelope is a member of a number of even-toed ungulate species
indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a
wastebasket taxon (miscellaneous group) within the family Bovidae,
encompassing those Old World species that are not cattle, sheep, buffalo,
bison, or goats; even so, antelope are generally more deer-like than other
bovids. A group of antelope is called a herd.[1]

Blackbuck antelope of India

Contents
Etymology
Species
Distribution and habitat
Morphology
Behavior
Mating strategies
Defense
Status
Lifespan
Humans A bull sable antelope among the
Culture trees in the African savanna
Domestication
Hybrid antelope
Heraldry
See also
References
External links

Etymology
The English word "antelope" first appeared in 1417 and is derived from the Old French antelop, itself derived from
Medieval Latin ant(h)alopus, which in turn comes from the Byzantine Greek word anthólops, first attested in Eustathius
of Antioch (circa 336), according to whom it was a fabulous animal "haunting the banks of the Euphrates, very savage,
hard to catch and having long, saw-like horns capable of cutting down trees".[2] It perhaps derives from Greek anthos
(flower) and ops (eye), perhaps meaning "beautiful eye" or alluding to the animals' long eyelashes. This, however, may be a
later folk etymology. The word talopus and calopus, from Latin, came to be used in heraldry. In 1607, it was first used for
living, cervine animals.

Species
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The 91 species, most of which are native to Africa, occur in about 30 genera.
The classification of tribes or subfamilies within Bovidae is still a matter of
debate, with several alternative systems proposed.

Antelope are not a cladistic or taxonomically defined group. The term is used
to describe all members of the family Bovidae that do not fall under the
category of sheep, cattle, or goats. Usually, all species of the Alcelaphinae,
Antilopinae, Hippotraginae, Reduncinae, Cephalophinae, many Bovinae, the
grey rhebok, and the impala are called antelopes.
Illustration from The History of Four-
footed Beasts (1607)
Distribution and habitat
No antelope species is native to Australasia or Antarctica, nor do any extant species occur in the Americas, though the
nominate saiga subspecies occurred in North America during the Pleistocene. North America is currently home to the
native pronghorn, which taxonomists do not consider a member of the antelope group, but which is locally referred to as
such (e.g. Antelope Valley). In Europe, several extinct species occur in the fossil record, and the saiga was found widely
during the Pleistocene but did not persist into the later Holocene,[3] except in Russian Kalmykia and Astrakhan Oblast.[4]
More species of antelope are native to Africa than to any other continent, almost exclusively in savannahs, with 20-35
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: the Arabian Peninsula is home to the Arabian oryx and Dorcas gazelle. India is home to the nilgai, chinkara,
blackbuck, Tibetan antelope, and four-horned antelope, while Russia and Central Asia have the Tibetan antelope, and
saiga.

Many species of antelopes 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, and nilgai may be found in Texas.[7]

Antelope live in a wide range of habitats. Numerically, most live in the African savannahs. However, many species are
more secluded, such as the forest antelope, as well as the extreme cold-living saiga, the desert-adapted Arabian oryx, the
rocky koppie-living klipspringer, and semiaquatic sitatunga.[8]

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. The gnus and gazelles of
East Africa perform some of the most impressive mass migratory circuits of all mammals.[9]

Morphology
For example, a male common eland can measure 178 cm (70 in) at the shoulder and weigh almost 950 kg (2,090 lb),
whereas an adult royal antelope may stand only 24 cm (9.4 in) at the shoulder and weigh a mere 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).

Not surprisingly for animals with long, slender yet powerful legs, many antelopes have long strides and can run fast. Some
(e.g. klipspringer) are also adapted to inhabiting rock koppies and crags. Both dibatags and gerenuks habitually stand on
their two hind legs to reach acacia 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

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rapidly. Gazelles and springbok are known for their speed and leaping abilities.
Even larger antelope, such as nilgai, elands, and kudus, are capable of jumping
2.4 m (7.9 ft) 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-marked zebra duiker, the grey, black, and white Jentink's
duiker, and the black lechwe. Most of the "spiral-horned" antelopes have pale,
vertical stripes on their backs. Many desert and semidesert species are
particularly pale, some almost silvery or whitish (e.g. Arabian oryx); the beisa
and southern oryxes have gray and black pelages with vivid black-and-white
faces. Common features of various gazelles 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 Gerenuks can stand erect on their
has a pouch of white, brushlike hairs running along its back, which opens up hind legs to browse on high foliage.
when the animal senses danger, causing the dorsal hairs to stand on end.

Antelope are ruminants, so have well-developed molar teeth, which grind cud (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 other herbivores, antelopes 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 use scent marking to define their territories or simply to maintain contact with their relatives and neighbors.

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 the bush
duiker, dwarf antelope, Cape grysbok, and oribi, all rather small species. A number of species have hornless females (e.g.
sitatunga, red lechwe, and suni). In some species, the males and females have differently coloured pelages (e.g. blackbuck
and nyala).

The size and shape of antelope horns varies greatly. Those of the duikers and
dwarf antelopes 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. the reedbucks), lyrate (e.g.
impala), or long, curved (e.g. the oryxes) horns. Horns are not shed and their
bony cores are covered with a thick, persistent sheath of horny material, both
of which distinguish them from antlers.[10]
Antelope horns

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Horns are efficient weapons, and tend to be better developed in those species where males fight over females (large herd
antelope) than in solitary or lekking 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.

Behavior

Mating strategies
Antelope are often classified by their reproductive behavior.

Small antelope, such as dik-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 as lechwes, 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. Forest-dwelling bushbuck

Large grazing antelope, such as impala or wildebeest, form large herds made
up of many females and a single breeding male, which excludes all other males, often by combat.

Defense
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 on cryptic coloring and good hearing to avoid predators. Forest
antelope often have very large ears and dark or striped colorations. Small
Fast-running gazelles prefer open
antelope, especially duikers, evade predation by jumping into dense bush
grassland habitat.
where the predator cannot pursue.[11] Springboks use a behavior known as
stotting to confuse predators.

Open grassland species have nowhere to hide from predators, so they tend to be fast runners. They are agile and have good
endurance—these are advantages when pursued by sprint-dependent predators such as cheetahs, 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 a lion 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 over 800
metres (1⁄2 mile).[12]

Status
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About 25 species are rated by the IUCN as endangered,[13] such as the dama gazelle and mountain nyala. A number of
subspecies are also endangered, including the giant sable antelope and the mhorr gazelle. The main causes for concern for
these species are habitat loss, competition with cattle for grazing, and trophy hunting.

The chiru or Tibetan antelope is hunted for its pelt, which is used in making shahtoosh, an incredibly fine material used in
shawls. Since the fur can only be removed from dead animals, and each animal yields very little of the downy fur, several
antelope must be killed to make a single shawl. This unsustainable demand has led to enormous declines in the chiru
population.

The saiga is hunted for its horns, which are considered an aphrodisiac 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 has shown a steep
decline and is critically endangered.

Lifespan
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.[14]

Humans

Culture
The antelope's horn is prized for 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.[15] In the Congo, it is thought to
confine spirits. Christian iconography sometimes uses the antelope's two horns
as a symbol of the two spiritual weapons Christians possess: the Old Testament Greater kudu horn shofar.
and the New Testament. The antelope's ability to run swiftly has also led to
their association with the wind, such as in the Rig Veda, as the steeds of the
Maruts and the wind god Vayu. There is, however, no scientific evidence that the horns of any antelope have any change
on a human's physiology or characteristics.

Domestication
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 of oryxes (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 to panic and their nonhierarchical social structure
explains why farm-raised antelope are uncommon. Ancient Egyptians kept herds of gazelles and addax for meat, and
occasionally pets. It is unknown whether they were truly domesticated, but it seems unlikely, as no domesticated gazelles
exist today.

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However, humans have had success taming certain species, such as the elands. 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 both Ukraine and Zimbabwe. In
both locations, the animal has proved wholly amenable to domestication.[16] 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."[17] Other antelope that have been
tamed successfully include the gemsbok,[18] the kudu,[19] and the springbok.[19] Nor are the characteristics described above
necessarily barriers to domestication; for further information, see animal domestication.

Hybrid antelope
A wide variety of antelope hybrids 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.[14]

Heraldry
Antelopes are a common symbol in heraldry, though they occur in a highly
distorted form from nature. The heraldic antelope has the body of a stag and
the tail of a lion, 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 poet Edmund Spenser referred to it as being "as fierce and fell as a
wolf."[20]

Antelopes can all also occur in their natural form, in which case they are
termed "natural antelopes" to distinguish them from the more usual heraldic
Arms of the duke of Abercorn in
antelope.[21] The arms previously used by the Republic of South Africa featured Scotland, featuring two silver
a natural antelope, along with an oryx. antelopes

See also
Megafauna

References
1. "Collective nouns, groups of animals, terms for animal and other groups including birds" (http://www.hintsandthings.c
o.uk/kennel/collectives.htm). Hintsandthings.co.uk. 1980-04-28. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201307262118
51/http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kennel/collectives.htm) from the original on 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2013-07-29.
2. "Antelope". (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/antelope) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2014041822255
6/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Antelope) 2014-04-18 at the Wayback Machine. Dictionary.com. Online
Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. Accessed 1 September 2008.
3. Yalden, Derek (1999) The History of British Mammals Academic Press. ISBN 0856611107

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4. "Archived copy" (http://www.kalmykia.eu/nature/saiga/). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20161222090820/htt

p://www.kalmykia.eu/nature/saiga/) from the original on 2016-12-22. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
5. Bro-Jorgensen, Jakob; Mallon, David P. (2016). Antelope Conservation: From Diagnosis to Action (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=Vt5QDAAAQBAJ) (1 ed.). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 163–164. ISBN 9781118409633. Archived (https://
web.archive.org/web/20171125020843/https://books.google.com/books?id=Vt5QDAAAQBAJ) from the original on 25
November 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
6. Vrba, Elisabeth S. (1995). Paleoclimate and Evolution, with Emphasis on Human Origins (https://books.google.com/b
ooks?id=1A8MmMaN4VwC). Yale University Press. p. 104. ISBN 0300063482. Archived (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20161222073651/https://books.google.com/books?id=1A8MmMaN4VwC) from the original on 22 December 2016.
Retrieved 9 July 2016.
7. Mungall, Elizabeth Cary (2007) Exotic Animal Field Guide. A&M University Press. College Station. ISBN 158544555X
8. Spinage, C. A. (1986). The Natural History of Antelopes. Facts on File Publications. New York. ISBN 0709944411
9. Estes, Richard D. (1992). The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. University of California Press. ISBN 0520080858
10. Prothero, D. R. and Schoch, R. M. (2002) Horns, Tusks, and Flippers: The Evolution of Hoofed Mammals. JHU Press.
ISBN 0801871352
11. Bere, Rennie (1970) The World of Animals: Antelopes. Arco Publishing Company, New York.
12. Kingdon, Jonathan. (1997). The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. Academic Press, San Diego & London.
ISBN 0124083552
13. Quarter of antelope species in danger of extinction (https://web.archive.org/web/20110125055127/http://www.iucn.or
g/media/materials/releases/?2758%2FQuarter-of-antelope-species-in-danger-of-extinction). IUCN. 4 March 2009
14. Mungall, Elizabeth Cary and Sheffield, William J. (1994). Exotics on the Range: The Texas Example. Texas A & M
Univ Press. ISBN 0890963991
15. Radford, Tim (13 March 2003). "Antelope stampeding to extinction" (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/mar/13/
highereducation.science1). Guardian. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20161230155054/https://www.theguardia
n.com/world/2003/mar/13/highereducation.science1) from the original on 30 December 2016.
16. Carr, Archie (1964) The Land and Wildlife of Africa, part of the LIFE Nature Library series.
17. The International Cyclopedia: A Compendium of Human Knowledge. Rev. with Large Additions, Volume 6. Dodd,
Mead, 1898.
18. Bokka the tame gemsbok (https://web.archive.org/web/20130301200635/http://you.co.za/bokka-the-tame-gemsbok/).
you.co.za. 28 December 2012
19. Kirkwood Reviews (https://www.safarinow.com/destinations/kirkwood/Reviews) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/
20150402145538/https://www.safarinow.com/destinations/kirkwood/Reviews) 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine..
safarinow.com
20. Vinycomb, John (1906). Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Heraldry (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40825/40825-h/
40825-h.htm#Page_213). Chapman & Hall, Ltd. p. 213. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150727000557/htt
p://www.gutenberg.org/files/40825/40825-h/40825-h.htm#Page_213) from the original on 2015-07-27.
21. Fox-Davies, Arthur (1909). A Complete Guide to Heraldry (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41617/41617-h/41617-h.htm
#page210). T.C. & E.C. Jack. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150924222738/http://www.gutenberg.org/files/
41617/41617-h/41617-h.htm#page210) from the original on 2015-09-24.

External links
Media related to Antilope at Wikimedia Commons
Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008 "Antelope" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150503212633/http://www.we
bcitation.org/5kwKQeTB) Archived 2009-10-31
AZA Antelope Taxon Advisory Group (https://web.archive.org/web/20080511183608/http://www.antelopetag.com/)
Ultimate Ungulate (https://web.archive.org/web/20070202174629/http://www.ultimateungulate.com/)
San Diego Zoo Antelope (http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-antelope.html)

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