Lesser Kudu

Male Lesser Kudu and Calf at the San Diego Zoo

As you could probably guess, the Lesser Kudu is a smaller species of antelope when compared to the very large Greater Kudu. But like their larger relative, they too have striped bodies and large, spiraling horns that can grow up to 3ft long!

Lesser Kudu are most active during the nighttime hours, and they are relatively shy critters. When startled they give out a barking sound, and can bound away quickly if needed. They are very fast (unlike the slow Greater Kudu) and are also excellent jumpers. There have been reports of leaps as high as 2m!

Because of their shyness, Lesser Kudu are difficult to hunt, and so their population has remained relatively safe from hunting, though poaching does exist in some areas. Even more unfortunate is that the species was extremely susceptible to Rinderpest, a virus that spread across several ungulate species until the early 2000s. The population is currently rebounding, but is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : East Africa
Size : Shoulder height up to 43in (1.1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Ammelaphus -- Species : A. imberbis

Chamois

Ah, the Chamois, one of my favorite quadrupeds. How could one not be smitten with their cute little backwards "J" horns?

Rupicapra rupicapra

Chamois (pronounced Sham-Wah!) are antelope-like goats that can be found throughout Europe. In fact, there are more than half a dozen location-based subspecies, all of which live in mountainous areas. They inhabit ranges from the Alps in France, all the way over in the Caucasians and Carpathians. They have also been introduced to New Zealand. It is unsurprising that, due to their mountainous lifestyle, they have developed great speed and agility over the steep terrain.

Female Chamois and their young live in small groups, while the adult males are solitary and only interact with others during the breeding season. Males will fight fiercely for the right to breed, and will drive away the young males from the family groups, occasionally killing them!

Interestingly, Chamois are not hunted for their meat, as many other ungulates are. Rather, their skin is very sought after, and produces a very soft, absorbent, and non-abrasive. This cloth is often spelled as "Chamois," but is pronounced like "Shammy." Chamois are protected in many countries, but hunted is still allowed in restricted numbers.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe
Size : Height up to 30in (75cm), Wieght up to 60lbs (27kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Rupicapra -- Species : R. rupicapra

Tibetan Antelope

Pantholops hodgsonii

Meet the Tibetan Antelope, or Chiru, a endangered ungulate that has been on a free-falling population decline over the past century.

Around 1900, it was estimated that there were over a million of the Antelope roaming about the Tibetan Plateau. Today, estimates are around 75,000 and falling. What has caused this species to decline in such a way? In short, habitat loss, competition from livestock, and shahtoosh.

Shahtoosh is the fine, soft wool that is unique to the Tibetan Antelope (it can be identified by the courser guard hairs in the fiber). Though the Antelope does don't need to die for the wool to be taken, poachers kill them anyway. Even though the animals are protected, the poaching continues and the population declines year after year.

The Tibetan Antelope is a shy animal, and it is (rightfully) wary of humans and other potential predators. They live in herds and are constantly on alert for danger, even digging shallow depressions in the ground when resting so that they are difficult to see. During the mating season males form harems with up to 20 females. They will defend the females, getting into fights with other males that can sometimes be fatal (due to their sharp horns that can grow 2ft long).

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IUCN Status : Endangered

Location : Tibetan Plateau
Size : Shoulder height up to 32in (1.8m), Weight around 80lbs (36kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Pantholops-- Species : P. hodgsonii

Chinese Goral

Central Chinese Goral at the LA Zoo

While walking through the Los Angeles Zoo I was intrigued by the use of space. It's in a very hilly area, but instead of just having empty land, they used those slopes for the enclosures of animals that are right at home on them.

Such was the case with the Chinese Goral, a small goat-like antelope native to the steep, rocky areas of East Asia. Their typical elevation is 3,000-8,000ft, and they have been found in places much, much higher! Naturally, they are very swift and agile over this rough terrain, and are able to use their sure-footedness to escape from predators. As adults, Chinese Gorals have virtually no predators aside from humans.

Chinese Gorals live in small groups year round, and females give birth to one or two kids each May or June. Both the males and females have horns. When it comes to food, they are typically browsers, but they will also consume grasses and other plant materials that are available.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : East Asia
Size : Shoulder height up to 50in (130cm), Weight up to 93lbs (42kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Naemorhedus -- Species : N. griseus

Bohor Reedbuck

Bohor Reedbuck

On first glance, the Bohor Reedbuck isn't a flashy antelope. They have short horns, a small to medium build, and sandy, patternless coats. But wait till you hear them and watch them move!

Like a few other species of small antelope, the Bohor Reedbuck likes to hide from predators in tall reeds and grasses. The lack of visibility caused by these tall plants has led the species to create an entire system of shrill screams and whistles in order to communicate. These sounds are used to warn against danger and to mark territory (they do not scent mark). They also posses the ability to perform amazing jumps and leaps which vary in height and length.

You will find the Bohor Reedbuck in Central Africa, living in grassland and wetland areas. They have flexible social groups-- some live alone, other in small groups, and others still in much larger ones (though the large herds usually tend to happen during particularly dry seasons). The Bohor Reedbucks are nocturnal, spending their nights foraging for food. During those aforementioned dry seasons, they will forage well into the daytime as well, in order to get their required sustenance.

There is no specific breeding season, though rainy seasons are more popular. Only one calf is born at a time, and like their parents, they spend a good deal of time in hiding. Newborn calves will stay hidden and secluded for up to 8 weeks.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Central Africa
Size : Length up to 4.5ft (1.4m), Weight up to 140lbs (65kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Redunca -- Species : R. redunca

Waterbuck

Female Waterbuck

Can you believe that we haven't talked about an antelope since June? And did you know there are around 90 different species, and that almost 3/4 of those live in Africa? I should do an all Antelope theme week... it's been a while since we've had a theme week...

Anyway, today we will learn about one of those 70 or so African Antelope species, the Waterbuck. Waterbuck, not surprisingly, live close to water sources. They feed on the long grasses surrounding various bodies of water, and then use the water to escape from predators if needed. They considered to be strong swimmers. However, of the half dozen members of the Kobus genus, the Waterbuck isn't even the most water dependent. Crazy.

Male Waterbuck are very territorial, and will guard their stretch of land and the cows within it. Females live in loose herds that overlap the males' territory, which means that the bulls with more land will end up having larger harems.

One really neat fact about these guys is that they have really tough, musty, stinky meat. This means that when other prey is available, predators will more of less leave the Waterbuck alone.

There are several different subspecies of Waterbuck, and at one time they were classified under two separate species. However, they are now all lumped under one species, due to the fact that they interbreed with one another when ranges overlap.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Sub-Saharan Africa
Size : Shoulder height 50in (1.3m), Weight 500lbs (227kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Kobus -- Species : K. ellipsiprymnus

Blue Duiker

Philantomba monticola

The Blue Duiker is a small little antelope found in the rainforests of Central and Southern Africa. They are named for the slight blue tint to their coat, and are one of the smallest antelopes in the world!

Blue Duikers often live in with a mate and they patrol and guard their own little stretch of land. They are very territorial, and will frequently leave dung piles and scent marks to designate their area. They won't even tolerate their own offspring within the territory once they are older than 18 months! (Young Duikers are weaned at around 5 months, but will remain with their parents until reaching sexual maturity)

Blue Duikers are a very, very common species. In some parts of their range there may be as many as 78 per square kilometer! They have adapted well to human settlement, and are often hunted for meat, though their population remains stable.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : South and Central Africa
Size : Height up to 14in (35cm), Weight up to 9lbs (4kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Philantomba -- Species : P. monticola

Dorcas Gazelle

Gazella dorcas

The Dorcas Gazalle is a small, desert dwelling species of antelope that can be found in North Africa and the Middle East. There are about half a dozen located-based subspecies, including the Moroccan Dorcas Gazelle and the Israeli Isabella's Gazelle.

Dorcas Gazelles thrive in the desert thanks to some great adaptations. They never have to drink actual water, since they can derive all of their needed moisture from the plants that they eat. They also can withstand extreme temperatures and derive their social habits from the harshness of the conditions. When the conditions are rough they tend to live in small groups where there is less competition, but when things are better they will often form small herds consisting of a male, several females, and their offspring.

Males can become incredibly territorial during the mating season, and they mark off their land by creating dung piles. Gestation lasts around 6 months, and typically only one fawn is born at a time. These newborns are very well developed and are able to stand within an hour. Fawns will spend their first few weeks of life hiding out in bushes while their mothers graze. After two weeks they are strong enough to follow their mothers more actively, and they are fulling weaned by three months.

Dorcas Gazelles are currently listed as Vulnerable. Though the species on the whole is widespread, several of the subspecies are becoming rare and threatened due to illegal hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts include protection within designated reserves and captive breeding programs.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : North Africa and the Middle East
Size : Height up to 2ft (.6m), Weight up to 45lbs (20kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Gazella -- Species : G. dorcas