The Habits of Antelopes

The term "antelope" encompasses a large portion of the Bovidae family. Within this family, "antelope" refers to roughly seven or eight subfamilies, excluding cattle and another subfamily of goats. They are mostly indigenous to Africa, though some varieties are also native to parts of Asia.

Given the variety of areas they inhabit, from open plains to dense forests and mountains, some types of behavior vary between different types of antelope.

  1. Mating and Reproduction

    • Antelopes reach sexual maturity early in life, ranging from 6 months old for the smallest to 3 or 4 years old for the largest.

      A few species, including dik-diks, duikers and klipspringers, mate for life, but they are in the minority. It is more common that males will compete for large numbers of females, often by claiming and holding areas (called "leks") which overlap with those of multiple females. While certain species can breed at any time of the year, it is more common for antelopes to breed seasonally to ensure sufficient food for newborns.

      Species which live in woodland areas give birth and leave young calves in areas with dense cover and leave them there for protection while they feed.

      Species that inhabit more open environments must give birth in the open. These calves must be on their feet within their first 15 minutes and completely mobile in short order to follow their herds. In these species, the entire herd helps protect the calves, though the threat of predators remains relatively high.

    Defense

    • The most basic system of defense for most antelopes is living in herds. Herds provide more eyes and ears to stay on alert against attacks. The increased number of choices they present to predators also increases the odds for survival in the event of an attack.

      Grassland species such as gazelles will often walk toward potential predators if they spot them early. This brings the predator to the herd's attention, giving them the opportunity to decide how best to deal with the threat.

      Mid-sized species will also utilize a behavior known as pronking or stotting, in which they will bounce up and down on all fours to alert others of potential trouble.

      Woodland species have evolved in such a way that their movements and fur markings act as camouflage against predators.

    Communication

    • Beyond the above defensive visual communication, antelopes also utilize scents and sounds to communicate.

      Sound communication often takes the form of warning noises such as the whistling of dik-diks to avoid danger.

      Herd-based species contain glands in their hooves which emit scent signals. These signals can remain along the herds' trails for days, thus allowing antelopes which may have become separated from their herd to find their way back.

    Habitat Habits

    • In terms of habitats and migratory habits, woodland-based species again have the easier, lower-energy lifestyles -- they remain in one area for life.

      Species that live in the open generally need to migrate for things like breeding and particularly food. These species, such as gnus, have one home range during dry seasons and another during wet seasons to ensure the largest and freshest food supply throughout the year.