Klipspringer
Klipspringer | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Bovidae |
Subfamily: | Oreotraginae Pocock, 1910 |
Genus: | Oreotragus A. Smith, 1834 |
Species: | O. oreotragus
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Binomial name | |
Oreotragus oreotragus (Zimmermann, 1783)
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Subspecies | |
See text | |
Klipspringer range | |
Synonyms[2] | |
The klipspringer (
Typically nocturnal, the klipspringer rests during the middle of the day and late at night. A gregarious animal, the klipspringer is monogamous to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes exhibit long-term to lifelong pair bonding. The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 m (16 ft) of each other at most times. Males form territories, 7.5–49 hectares (18+1⁄2–121 acres), in which they stay with their partners and offspring. Primarily a browser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers. Gestation lasts around six months, following which a single calf is born; births peak from spring to early summer. The calf leaves its mother when it turns a year old.
The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. Its range extends from northeastern
Taxonomy and etymology
The
A 2012
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As many as 11 subspecies have been identified, though zoologists Colin Groves and Peter Grubb treat a few of them as independent species in a 2011 publication:[7][8][9]
- O. o. aceratos Noack, 1899 : Noack's or southern Tanzanian klipspringer. Occurs in eastern and southern Africa, between rivers Zambezi.
- O. o. aureus Heller, 1913 : Golden klipspringer. Occurs in Kenya.
- O. o. centralis Hinton, 1921 : Zambian klipspringer. Occurs in central and southern Africa.
- O. o. oreotragus (Zimmermann, 1783) : Cape klipspringer. Occurs in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.
- O. o. porteousi Lydekker, 1911 : Occurs in central Africa.
- O. o. saltatrixoides (Temminck, 1853) : Ethiopian klipspringer. Occurs in the highlands of Ethiopia.
- O. o. schillingsi Neumann, 1902 : Maasai klipspringer. Occurs in eastern Africa.
- O. o. somalicus Neumann, 1902 : Somali klipspringer. Occurs in northern Somalia.
- O. o. stevensoni Roberts, 1946 : Stevenson's klipspringer. Occurs in western Zimbabwe.
- O. o. transvaalensis Roberts, 1917 : Transvaal klipspringer. Occurs in South African highlands and Drakensberg.
- O. o. tyleri Hinton, 1921 : Angolan klipspringer. Occurs in Namibia.
Description
The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope reaching 43–60 cm (17–23+1⁄2 in) at the shoulder. The head-and-body length is typically between 75 and 115 cm (30 and 45 in). It weighs from 8 to 18 kg (18 to 40 lb).
The
The subspecies vary in coat colour – from golden yellow in the Cape klipspringer, Ethiopian klipspringer, golden klipspringer and Transvaal klipspringer to ochre or rufous in the Maasai klipspringer, Stevenson's klipspringer and Zambian klipspringer. Cape klipspringer populations tend to have the largest males, while Maasai klipspringer exhibit the largest females.[9]
Ecology and behaviour
Typically nocturnal (active mainly at night), the klipspringer rests during the midday and at late night; the animal tends to be more active on moonlit nights. It basks in the morning sunlight to warm itself.[7] A gregarious animal, the klipspringer, like the dik-diks and the oribi, exhibits monogamy to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes form pairs that might last until one dies.[14][15] The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 m (16 ft) of each other at most times; for instance, they take turns at keeping a lookout for predators while the other feeds, and face any danger together. The klipspringer will hop a few metres away from the danger.[14][15] Other social groups include small family herds of eight or more members or solitary individuals. Klipspringer greet one another by rubbing cheeks at social meetings.[16]
Males form
Diet
Primarily a
Reproduction
The klipspringer is a seasonal breeder; the time when mating occurs varies geographically. Females become
Habitat and distribution
The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. It migrates to lowlands at times of food scarcity. The klipspringer occurs at altitudes as high as 4,500 m (15,000 ft) on Mount Kilimanjaro.[7][22] The klipspringer can occur at high population densities in favourable habitats extending over a large area; 10 to 14 individuals occur per square kilometre in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. However, the habitat is typically rocky over long stretches and grassy terrain is discontinuous; consequently the population density is typically between 0.01 and 0.1 individual per square kilometre.[1]
The antelope occurs in significant numbers across eastern and southern Africa; its range extends from northeastern
Threats and conservation
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (
In 1999, Rod East of the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group estimated the total population of klipspringer at 42,000. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas such as the Simien and Bale Mountains National Parks (Ethiopia); Tsavo East and West National Parks (Kenya); North and South Luangwa National Parks (Zambia); Nyika National Park (Malawi); Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia); and Matobo National Park (Zimbabwe).[1][22]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ OCLC 62265494.
- ISBN 978-3-030-04954-6. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Explore the Database". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- ^ "Klipspringer". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- PMID 22823504.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4729-2531-2.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4008-8065-2.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4214-0093-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-86872-537-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-86486-132-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-947430-55-9.
- ^ .
- ^ a b Dunbar, R. (1984). "The ecology of monogamy". New Scientist (1419): 12–5.
- ^ S2CID 53204522.
- PMID 4456903.
- ^ Norton, P.M. (2011). "The habitat and feeding ecology of the klipspringer Oreotragus Oreotragus (Zimmermann, 1973) in two areas of the Cape Province" (PDF). MSC Dissertation, University of Pretoria: 97–100. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-22.
- ISBN 978-1-86872-443-7.
- S2CID 4278781.
- .
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-84418-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-2-8317-0477-7.
- ISBN 978-0-8061-3146-7.
External links
- Media related to Oreotragus oreotragus at Wikimedia Commons
- Data related to Oreotragus oreotragus at Wikispecies
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). 1911. .