What is an antelope?
Q: What is an antelope?
A: An antelope is a term for many even-toed ungulate species which are not cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, or goats. They occupy the ecological niche which deer occupy north of the Sahara and are found mostly in Africa below the Sahara, and parts of Asia.
Q: How many species of antelope exist?
A: There are 91 species of antelope, most of which are native to Africa and grouped into about 30 genera.
Q: What distinguishes true antelopes from pronghorns?
A: True antelopes have horns which are unbranched and never shed while pronghorns have branching horns that shed annually.
Q: Are all bovids similar in some ways?
A: Yes, all bovids have even-toed hooves, horizontal pupils, ruminating guts, and (in at least the males) bony horns.
Q: Is there sexual dimorphism among antelopes?
A: Yes, in most species both sexes have horns but those of males tend to be larger than females'. Horns are not shed and are not made of bone which distinguishes them from antlers.
Q: Are gazelles known for their speed and leaping abilities?
A: Yes, gazelles as well as springbok are known for their speed and leaping abilities. Even larger antelope such as elands and kudus can jump 8 feet (2.4 m) or greater although their running speed is restricted by their greater mass.
Q: Do some species undertake huge migrations? A:Yes , some plains species undertake huge migrations to follow the rains and therefore their food supply . The gnus and gazelles of East Africa perform some of the most impressive mass migratory circuits of all mammals .
