Jon Atkinson - Wildlife And Travel Photographer

African Ungulates - Antelopes and Gazelles

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Klipspringer
Topi
Topi
Uganda Kob
Uganda Kob
UNGULATES 1 - Klipspringer, Kruger N.P. South Africa: Klipspringers range in Africa from the cape region in the south up through eastern Africa to Abyssinia. It is about twenty-two inches high at the shoulder, and weighs approximately forty pounds. Stocky and powerful, yet extremely agile, this shy and nervous antelope is unique. The male has delicate little horns about four to six inches long. Its ears are actually longer than its horns. The Klipspringer eats rock plants, especially succulents. It never drinks water, but absorbs what liquid is necessary by eating succulent leaves or by licking up the dew in the early morning.
UNGULATES 2 - Topi, Serengetti N.P., Tanzania: The topi is a medium-sized antelope with a striking reddish-brown to purplish-red coat. They favour flood plains, but they are sometimes found in dry areas of open savanna and park woodland. They prefer flat lowlands, and can go without water for long periods of time only if they have access to green pastures. The topi eats only grass. If green grazing is not available, the topi must drink daily.
UNGULATES 3 - Uganda Kob, Queen Elizabeth N.P. Uganda: The Uganda kob is considered Uganda’s "national antelope." They are reddish or ochre in color with white markings on the face and throat. They are found in river flats and short grasslands. They graze on green belts near waterways during the dry season and move to higher grounds during the rainy season.They graze on short grasses cropped by other species, green flushes after fires.
Sable Antelope
Waterbuck
Kudu
UNGULATES 4 - Sable Antelope, Kruger N.P., South Africa: Sable are primarily grazers of dominant grass species, either of medium height or in new growth. During the dry season they are typically found in valley bottoms and along drainage lines, where they are able to find drinking water on a daily basis. In the wet season they leave the heavy spoils of the lowlands to move into broad-leaved woodlands
UNGULATES 5 - Waterbuck, Kruger N.P., South Africa: Waterbucks have to stay within several miles of water so that they can easily drink every 1 or 2 days. Having a preference for grasslands, waterbucks graze on firm ground generally found next to woodlands. Waterbucks typically graze on medium and short grasses which are good sources of protein. When grass is not abundant, herbs and foliage seem to be their second choice.
UNGULATES 6 - Greater Kudu, Etosha National Park, Namibia: The short, smooth coat varies in general colour from tan-grey to bluish grey in colour. There are numerous white markings, including up to10 vertical stripes along the sides, a chevron between the eyes, and cheek spots. The black-tipped, bushy tail is white underneath, and there are black garters on the upper legs. The spiralled horns are found only in males and have up to 3 full turns, diverging slightly as they slant back from the head. They can grow 100-140 cm long.
Greater Kudu
Gemsbok Oryx
Impala
UNGULATES 7 - Greater Kudu, Etosha National Park, Namibia: Greater kudus are found in woodlands and bushlands over much of eastern and southern Africa, from Chad nearly to the Red Sea, south to Cape Province, west to Namibia and north to mid Angola. The ears of the greater kudu are large and round. Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots from a variety of plants. In dry seasons, they eat wild fruit for the liquid they provide.
UNGULATES 8 - Gemsbok(Oryx), Kruger N.P., South Africa: The Gemsbok is a large antelope with long, spearlike horns. It has a thick neck with a short mane and a compact, muscular body. A defined pattern of black markings that contrast with the white face and fawn-colored body are prominently displayed in dominance rituals to emphasize the length of horns and strength of the shoulder. Their diets consists mainly of coarse grasses and they browse from thorny shrubs. Gemsbock may drink if water is available but can survive days or even weeks without it
UNGULATES 9 - Impala, Queen Elizabeth N.P., Uganda: The Impala is the most common and widespread antelope on the savannas and woodlands of east and southern Africa and live in Savanna woodland where water is available. An extremely adaptable species, impalas' food is varied. They are intermediate feeders (browsers and grazers), depending on the area they inhabit and the availability of food. In many areas impala are the most common source of food for predators.
Eland
Damara Dik-Dik
UNGULATES 10 - Waterbuck, Kruger N.P., South Africa: The Waterbuck formerly occurred throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa. It has been eliminated widely within its former range, but survives in many protected areas and in some other areas which are sparsely populated by humans. Only male waterbucks have horns, which are ringed and grow up to a meter long. Weighing in at 150 to 225 kg , these short-legged animals stand about 1.3 meters tall at the shoulder.
UNGULATES 11 - Eland, Masai Mara N.P., South Africa:The Eland is the world's largest antelope. Elands are fawn-colored, with white vertical stripes on their bodies. A distinctive characteristic of the eland is a black dewlap (flap of skin between the throat and chest). Males have twisted horns which are thick and tightly spiralled, growing up to 25" in females and to 50" in males. Eland belong to the same group as kudus, nyala and bushbuck. Eland are found in grassland, mountain, sub-desert, acacia savannah and miombo woodland areas.
UNGULATES 12 - Damara Dik-Dik, Namibia: The Damara Dik-Dik (also known as Kirk's Dik-Dik) has an elongated, mobile muzzle, which it uses to search for its favourite food: it stands on its hind legs if necessary to reach for a succulent shoot, flower or fruit. Due to its small body size it has to feed on plant parts with a high nutrient content. They have a maximum height of 40 cm at the shoulder and a mass of 5 kg. Only the males have horns, which are usually about 8 cm long. They occur singly, in pairs, or in family parties of three, except during the dry season when groups of up to six may be seen together

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