Still More Kinds of Antelope

I find it interesting to know that there are so many different kinds of antelopes around the globe. Here are a few more worthy of knowing about:

Gazelles (more than 20 species)

• Gemsbok
• Bushbacks
• Situtunga
• Kudu

The Gazelles are medium or small-sized antelopes found in both Asia and Africa. They are generally of a sandy color and have a white streak along the sides of the face. There are more than twenty species in existence.

One of the best know is the little Dorcas Gazelle which inhabits the dry lands of North Africa, Palestine, and Syria.

This animal stands about twenty-two inches in height.

The Thomson's Gazelle of Kenya and Tanganyika is well known to many sportsmen who visit that district. It stands about two inches higher than the Dorcas.

These Gazelles are found on grassy plains which are also inhabited by the larger Grant's Gazelle, one of the largest of the Gazelles, which stands about thirty-three inches high.

The horns are long and slightly lyre-shaped. On the Grant's Gazelles, the horns are widely spread so that the points are wide apart, and Gazelles with this type of horns are known as Robert's Gazelles.

The largest Gazelle is the Dama, or Addra Gazelle.

It stands about three feet at the shoulder and has a longer neck than most of its kin. It inhabits the desert regions of North Africa.

A number of different Gazelles inhabit the plateaus of central Asia. Among these are the Tibetan, Przewalski's, the Mongolian and the Goitered Gazelles.

On the plains of India, the Chinkara, or Indian Gazelle lives. It is dull-fawn color and stands about twenty-six inches at the shoulder.

The Springbuck differs from the true Gazelles in having a line of pure white hairs extending down the middle of the hind parts of the back. These hairs can be erected and from a conspicuous patch when the animal is excited.

Springbucks at one time traveled in vast herds on the plains of South Africa, but continuous hunting has caused them to greatly decrease, so now they are found in only a very small portion of their former range.

The Springbuck owes its name to its habit of suddenly leaping high in the air.

The Gerenuk, or Aller's Gazelle, may be recognized by its extremely long legs and neck, reminding one of a small giraffe.

Its general color is brown, with a broad band of darker brown extending down the middle of the back.

The Gerenuk stands a little over three feet at the shoulder. Its food consists of the leaves of trees and bushes, and it often feeds while standing on its hind legs.

The Sable Antelope is a large animal about four and a half feet high. It has long, sickle-shaped horns and an erect mane. As the male becomes older, its coat turns to a very dark brown or black.

The young males and females are reddish brown. The Sable Antelope reaches its largest size only in certain parts of Africa. The horns of this form are sometimes over three feet long.

The Roan Antelope, although of slightly larger size than the Sable, has shorter horns and a grizzled coat. It is not so handsome as the Sable Antelope.

The Roan is found throughout the plains of Africa north of the Orange River and has a much greater distribution than the Sable Antelope. South of the Orange River, in South Africa, the Blaubok (or Blue Buck) was formerly found. It had the general appearance of a small Roan Antelope, but became extinct around the 1800s.

The Gemsbok is an animal of the desert regions of Southwest Africa. Its straight, spear-like horns may reach a length of four feet. It differs from most other antelopes in the fact that the horns of the female, although slimmer, are often longer than those of the male.

The Gemsbok is a grayish brown animal with a black stripe extending along the lower sides and upon the flanks. it stands about four feet in height. This animal is known to go without drinking for months at a time, obtaining what moisture it needs from the food it eats.

In East Africa, the Gemsbok is represented by the Beisa (or Oryx), a slightly smaller animal which lacks the black on the flanks. The Beisa is the Fringed-eared Oryx which has tufted ears.

The Arabian Oryx is a still smaller form, with a whitish body. It is confined to the deserts. The White Oryx, the horns of which differ from other Oryx in being much more curved, is white, with a reddish wash. The last color is strongly pronounced on the neck.

The Addax Antelope is a close relative of the Oryx. Its horns, however, have a spiral twist instead of being straight. The Addax, like the Oryx, is found on North-African deserts.

The Four-horned Antelope is a small animal found only in India. It is about two feet in height and its general color is yellowish brown.

It is noteworthy for the fact that it generally carries two pairs of horns, the extra pair being on the forehead.

These horns may be as much as two inches long, but they are frequently not more than short knobs, and are sometimes entirely wanting. The females are hornless.

The Nilgai (Blue Bull) is the largest of the Indian antelopes. the male stands about four and a half feet at the shoulder and is bluish gray.

The females and the young are yellowish brown. The Nilgai is an ungainly looking animal with a long head and short horns. The forelegs are considerably longer than the hind. both male and female have an upright mane, and the males have a tuft of hair hanging down from the throat.

The Bush bucks, (or Harnessed Antelopes) are a group of forest living antelopes, generally under three feet high. The females are hornless and in color are chestnut extensively striped with white.

The males are generally darker and in some forms the white harness, or striping is nearly absent.

The horns of true Bush Bucks form simple spirals and seldom reach a length of more than eighteen inches. although generally forest living animals, they are also found in the thick thorn bush country and often come out to fee in the open, along the edges of the forest.

Bushbucks are found in suitable localities through Africa, and many different forms have been described by travelers and naturalists.

One of the most beautiful of the antelopes, a relative of the Bushbucks, is the Nyala of certain parts of East Africa. They are about three and a half feet high. The males are slate gray and have a fringe of long, soft hair on the throat and underparts of the body, and a white crest along the back. The legs are tan. The female is bright reddish chestnut, with numerous white stripes, short-haired throughout.

The Mountain Nyala of the highlands of southern Ethiopia is a much larger animal, about four and a half feet high. Although the back is fringed, this animal lacks the long hair on the underparts.

The male and female are of the same general dark brown color, striped with white bands.

The horns are long and similar to those of the Greater Kudu, but the horns of the Mountain Myala seldom make more than one complete twist.

The Situtunga is a water loving animal that makes its home in the swamps and along the rivers of central and eastern Africa. It differs from all the other antelopes in having elongated hoofs which help to support its weight in the soft mud of the swamps where this animal makes its home.

It stands about four feet high and has typical Bushbuck horns, although longer, a set just under three feet having been recorded.

Like the typical Bushbucks, the female is bright chestnut, while the male is grayish brown. Both sexes have the white stripes.

The grandest and most striking of all the antelopes is the Greater Kudu, standing almost five feet in height, with long spiraling horns which may reach a length of over five feet, the longest recorded being sixty-six and a half inches.

the Kudu has a fringe of long hair extending down from the throat. Both sexes are grayish buff with vertical white stripes along the sides.

The Kudu prefers to live among rocky hills covered with thorn bush, and its range is limited to this type of country.

The lesser Kudu is much smaller, being about three and a half feet at the shoulder. It also differs from the Greater Kudu in being brighter in color, with numerous white stripes and having no fringe on the throat.

Its horns are shorter and closely spiraled. It inhabits the dry bush-covered plains, seldom emerging from the dense thickets. It is found in north-eastern Africa.

The Bongo is a forest loving animal living in dense bamboo thickets. In general color it is bright chestnut red with numerous white stripes extending down along the body.

The old bulls become much darker, almost black, about the head and neck.

In height Bongos are about four feet, and they differ from most antelopes in the fact that the females also carry horns. Bongos are found in the forests of western Africa and some of the mountain forests of East Africa.

The Eland is the largest and most ox-like of all the antelopes. It stands five and a half feet at the shoulder and has a heavy body. Both sexes carry horns, which form a close spiral at the base and may reach a length of three feet.

the horns of the females are more slender than those of the male. both sexes also have a heavy dewlap, or fold of skin, hanging below the throat.

Elands go about in small herds and are often found on the grassy plains in the company with zebras and other antelopes.

They are also found in the dry thorn bush country. In South Africa and Western Africa, a larger form of Eland occurs, with longer and more massive horns. This is the Giant Eland.