Antelope Fun Facts
Native to the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, antelope can range from just 10 inches high (the royal antelope) to more than 180 inches high (giant elands). There are about 90 known species of antelope in the world, and only one species, the South African Blue Buck, has become extinct as of 2011. Antelope are known for their bounding stride. They appear to bounce along the earth as they run, and their beauty and grace make them big attractions at zoos around the world and on safaris. In the United States, most pronghorns live in Wyoming.
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Divided Hooves
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Antelope hooves are designed for traction and mobility. Unlike horse hooves, antelope hooves are split right down the middle to make two "toes." Depending on where a particular species lives, antelope may have wide divided hooves (for walking on shifting desert sand) or long, pointed divided hooves (for traction in swampy areas). Regardless of where antelope live, their divided hooves play an important part in their balance and coordination, which helps to account for their grace and speed.
Horns
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The shape of antelope horns varies from species to species. All species of antelope have horns, but in some species, only the males develop horns. Horns are used to defend against predators, and sometimes an antelope uses its horns to fight other antelope in the herd out of rivalry, to gain a better position or to keep females. The shape and length of horns vary greatly, depending on the species. The Kudu's horns can grow to be 7 feet long. Some species feature twisted, curved, or spiral horns. Unlike deer, antelope keep their horns all year round and never shed them.
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Food Preferences
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Some antelope have long necks like giraffes that help them to reach leaves on trees. Most species of antelope are strictly herbivores, but antelope from the duiker species occasionally kill and eat birds, insects and even small mammals. Aside from the duikers, antelope eat grasses and leaves. Some species of antelope eat whatever is available in their area, depending on the time of year. Other species migrate to find their favorite foods year round. For example, Thomson's gazelles follow wildebeest and zebra herds as they migrate around eastern Africa. The gazelles eat the tender grass shoots left behind by the wildebeests and zebras.
Lifespan
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A cheetah attacks an antelope. Because antelope are hunted by larger animals, they hardly ever live longer than 8 to 10 years in the wild. In captivity, antelope have been known to live into their late teens. In the wild, older and weaker members of herds are attacked by predators, so as soon as they begin to slow down, they become prey for lions, pythons, crocodiles, cheetahs, jackals and baboons.
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References
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