Klipspringer
The klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope; it reaches 43–60 centimetres (17–23+1⁄2 inches) at the shoulder and weighs from 8 to 18 kilograms (18 to 40 pounds). The coat of the klipspringer, yellowish gray to reddish brown, acts as an efficient camouflage in its rocky habitat. Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs. The horns, short and spiky, typically measure 7.5–9 cm (3–3+1⁄2 in).
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 Sudan, Eritrea, Somaliland and Ethiopia[3] in the east to South Africa in the south, and along coastal Angola and Namibia. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the klipspringer as Least Concern. There are no major threats to the survival of the klipspringer, as its habitat is inaccessible and unfavourable for hunting. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas throughout its range.
As many as 11 subspecies have been identified (FIVE of which are in the galleries below) though zoologists Colin Groves and Peter Grubb treat a few of them as independent species in a 2011 publication:
O. o. aceratos Noack, 1899 : Noack's or southern Tanzanian klipspringer. Occurs in eastern and southern Africa, between rivers Rufiji and 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.
Ethiopian Klipspringer (Oreotragus saltatrixoides) - Bale Mountains Ethiopia
Golden Klipspringer (Oreotragus aureus) - Samburu Kenya
Cape Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) - Augrabies Falls South Africa
Transvaal Klipspringer (Oreotragus transvaalensis) - Kruger National Park South Africa
