I never knew that there are so many different species of antelope in Southern Africa - a quick internet count found more than 30 different species, from the magnificent Eland to the diminutive Duiker. Here are a few that we spotted recently on our trip to Southern Africa.
Looking more like a species of deer from the Northern Hemisphere because of its woolly looking coat, the Waterbuck is quite common and can be seen in or near bodies of water. The waterbuck suffers from dehydration in the hottest parts of the year - which is why it will not stray far from water. Waterbuck use the water as a refuge. Predators such as lions would have to be very hungry to expend their energies chasing this antelope through the water.
Waterbuck have a pronounced white pattern on their rear that looks a bit like a toilet seat - some think that this makes it easier for them to follow if they are being chased.
This is the Puku, a medium-sized antelope that lives across Southern Africa - seen here on the banks of the Chobe River in Botswana. It appears to be very shy - every time we got close enough to get a shot the puku always quickly moved off. This was a lucky shot early one morning but as you can see, this female was already heading deeper into the grasslands bordering the riverfront.
Two more female Puku seen in the Okavango Delta. When they are resting on the ground these animals can be almost invisible to the naked eye. (Pic by Natalie).
An antelope that's similar in size and markings to the puku, is the Lechwe (also called the Red Lechwe or Southern Lechwe). Like the puku, this antelope is found in the Okavango Delta as well as other parts of Botswana, the Congo, N.W. Namibia and Eastern Angola. Zambia has a Black Lechwe. One interesting fact about this antelope is that it excretes a water repellent substance on its legs which allows it to run fast through wetlands - also its back legs are slightly longer than those at the front - another genetic adaption that helps it run for longer distances in the marshy environments in which it lives. (Pic by Natalie).
This is the curiously named Common Tsessebe, an antelope that looks a bit like a horse that's been crossed with a Hartebeest - a fact that's echoed by its Africaans name: 'the bastaard Hartebeest'. Hmm, nice. History tells us that it was originally called the Sassaby, a name that's still used today. (Pic by Natalie).
In my opinion one of the most elegant of all antelopes, the Sable has a tremendous set of rear-pointing horns. Females are mostly chestnut brown while the larger males sport dark, almost black coats. These two were photographed on a private game reserve next to where we were staying for a couple of days at Muluwa in the lowveld.
First time I have ever seen this antelope - the Roan appeared at dusk at a watering hole frequented by perhaps a hundred elephants - I think they'd been waiting in line to get to the water - you can see one of a herd of elephant in the background. It's one of the largest antelopes in the world, just eclipsed by Elands, Bongos and large Kudus.
Another very small and common antelope is the diminutive Steenbok (or Steinbok). These are often quite hard to see as they tend to hang out deep in the scrub and, because they are only about two foot high, tend to blend into the background. The Steenbok is the only antelope that buries its poo, a bit like a cat, to avoid being detected by a predator - of which it has many: big cats, jackals, wild dogs, large birds of prey, humans and even pythons.
One of the most elegant and beautiful of all the antelopes is the Kudu (the name originates from the Khoikhoi or San language). There are two identifiable species: the Greater and the Lesser Kudu. This is the Greater Kudu - it's a big male. They can get up to 250kg, standing up to 1.6 metres at the shoulder. Despite their considerable size kudus have an uncanny knack of blending into the background, their first reaction to danger. If that doesn't appear to work, they run!
The Bontebok is another beautiful antelope that I'd not heard o before seeing one! Admittedly this was photographed in a stocked game reserve at Villiera Wines near Cape Town. Not the best picture but, like many of the less common antelope, the Bontebok is timid. I read that the Bontebok is not very good at jumping but they are very good at crawling under things (might be a good idea to check under your car before you move off!). (Pic by Natalie).
Another very small and shy antelope. The Duiker, although not endangered, is quite hard to find because it's such a nervous animal. It's name comes from the Afrikaans word duik which means 'to dive', which it does when scared. It dives into the undergrowth! This single male was sighted very early in the morning taking a drink at a deserted waterhole. It drank quickly then scooted off back into the dense bush. There are a lot of different duikers scattered between three genera. I think this example is 'just' called the Common Duiker. (Pic by Natalie).
At left: This is a female Nyala, another medium-sized antelope that's quite common in Southern Africa, and, at right, this is a pair of Bushbuck, seen grazing the lush grounds of a hotel on the Chobe River. The latter is quite common through out Africa although there are many regional variants. One fact I learned about the bushbuck is that when the female gives birth she goes to great lengths to hide newly born calves - she cleans the calf and then hides it in long grass while she looks for food. When she returns to suckle the young she even eats their dung to keep predators off the scent.
A great shot of the male Nyala. (Pic by Natalie).
You can't not see one of these on a trip to Southern Africa! The awesome Gemsbok or Oryx ranges from Saudi Arabia to South Africa. Across this range there are several different species: the endangered Arabian Oryx, the Scimitar Oryx, the East African Oryx and the South African Oryx (or Gemsbok) that we see here. While the range of this antelope includes parts of Botswana this specimen was photographed on a previous trip in the grasslands of Namibia.
South African Gemsbok or Oryx
Possibly the most common of all the antelopes seen in Southern Africa, the Impala appears to be everywhere! Because there are so many, the Impala are probably the number one food source for a lot of predators like lion, cheetah (see below) and wild dogs. It's common to see herds of up to 40 or 50 females with one male impala. (Pic by Natalie).
Cheetahs like impala because there are usually a lot of individuals in a herd - this means when the hunt begins, impala go in every which way, causing a lot of confusion which is good for the predator, but not so good for the antelope that the cheetah has marked. It doesn't always work out well for the cheetah. Here a female has brought down an impala and, because she's not strong enough to break its neck, as a lion might, she has to clamp her jaws around the throat to suffocate it
No conversation about African antelope is complete without a mention of Wildebeest (Dutch for 'wild beast'). There are two main species: the Blue Wildebeest (also called the Brindled Wildebeest) and the Black Wildebeest (or White-tailed Gnu). Most people who have been to view the great migration in the Masai Mara (between Tanzania and Kenya) will have probably seen massive herds of Wildebeest numbering tens of thousands.
When they are not migrating you'll often see individual wildebeest lurking among herds of other animals, typically zebra because they have a better sense of danger than the wildebeest!
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