Klipspringer

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Super Mongoose
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Klipspringer

Post by Super Mongoose »

Klipspringer
[Oreotragus oreotragus]

The name Klipspringer is the Afrikaans for ‘rock jumper’ and alludes to the animal’s ability in rocky territory where it can be seen moving freely, seemingly on tiptoe.

Appearance
Weighing 11-13 Kg and standing 500-600mm high at the shoulders, this is a small and stocky antelope. Ewes are slightly larger than the rams. Only rams have short horns, which are ringed only at the base. Klipspringer have smallish rounded ears positioned far back on the head, and with noticeable dark inner markings. The coarse-haired coat is variable in colour with shades of grey, yellow, brown or red, with marked white underparts, chin and lips. A prominent feature is the large, black pre-orbital gland.
Predators
Leopard, Jackals, and Spotted Hyena prey on Klipspringer. Calves are vulnerable to Eagles and Baboons. Because Klipspringers must often leave their refuges to forage, they are very alert to predators and to alarm signals of other species. They react by fleeing to higher ground with or without first calling, the female leading. Once safe, they give whistling alarm calls in duet.
Diet
Diet consists of the selective browsing of flowers, tender green shoots and fruits of a wide variety of shrubs and herbs. Hardly ever feeds on grass. Not dependent on drinking water.
Breeding
Single lambs are born mostly during spring or summer following a gestation period of six months. Young are evicted from the group after one year, at which stage it has virtually reached maturity.
Behaviour
Rams and ewes form lasting bonds and both sexes defend their permanent territories. At most, groups of up to eight can be seen together, which are probably family groups from neighbouring territories.
Habitat
Klipspringer have a restricted habitat preference, namely to very rocky environments of mountainous areas and koppies. This allows this nimble-footed antelope to escape from its predators.
Where they are found
They are distributed in the following areas in Southern Africa: Zoutpansberg and Lebombo mountain ranges and foothills, along the Kuiseb River in the Namib Desert, lower Orange River, and common in the mountain areas of the Western Cape. Less common in the Drakensberg mountain range.
Vital Statistics
Weight (Female): 11 - 16 kg
Weight (Male): 9 - 12 kg
Length (Female): 82 cm
Length (Male): 82 cm
Gestation Period: 7 months
No of Young: 1 lamb
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Horns: 10 cm (record - 16 cm)
Breeding: A single young is born anytime during the year after a gestation period of 7 months.
Spoor Description
Klipspringers walk on the tips of their hoofs, which have long, narrow soles and blunt rounded tips. The rounded hoofs are an adaptation to the rocky terrain it inhabits.
Image
(Information from Siyabona Africa)

Female Klipspringer
Image

Male Klipspringer
Image

These two Klipspringers were photographed on the Northern section of the Timbavati Road (S39) high up in the foothills, hiding form the midday sun in the shade of the rocks, October 2013.
Last edited by Super Mongoose on Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.


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Twigga
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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Twigga »

Suuuuuper choice - Super Mongoose!

^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Toko »

O\/ O\/ O\/ The cutest of small antelope 0/0


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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by nan »

the cutest... and also the less seen ;-)
nice choice O/\ ^Q^


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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Pumbaa »

Super Mongoose - Great choice \O

Klippies are one of my favourites O\/


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Richprins
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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Richprins »

Pic courtesy of Borderline:



Image




These are always a good sighting, but even more so when they are nowhere near a "Klip"!

pic courtesy of leachy:


Image



One of the first I saw in the Park was in the riverbed of the Nwatindlopfu stream, under the bridge! :shock:

It was standing on a rock, though!? -O-

(No pic of that, unfortunately...many years ago!)


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Super Mongoose
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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Super Mongoose »

Glad all the Mites are excited about the Klippies and I know there will be lots stunning pics to come!

So everyone keep watching this space! 0() 0()


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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Bushcraft »

I have a few pics of these chaps X#X

Once watched a leopard chase 2 off Lubyelubye, but stuffed up the pics 0*\


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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Richprins »

Courtesy of Borderline:

Image

Pretoriuskop area.

Image


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Re: Klipspringer - Animal of the month December 2013

Post by Super Mongoose »

Klipspringer, Klipbokkie [Afrikaans]
Klippspringer [German]
Oréotrague [French]
Ngurunguru, mbuzi mawe [Swahili]
iIgogo [isiNdebele] [isiZulu]
Kololo, kome [Sepedi]
Kome, sekome [Sesotho]
Kololo, mokabaowane, mokabaeyane [Setswana]
Ngururu [Shona]
Ligoka, inyamatane, ligoga [siSwati]
Ngululu, xemi [Xitsonga]
Khaises [Nama] [Damara]

The common name is derived from Afrikaans and means “rock jumper”, as the klipspringer is extremely agile at moving across rocky outcrops and steep rocky slopes. A member of the dwarf antelopes this small stocky antelope has a distinctive coat coarse, hollow, spiny hair. The black tips of the hairs give the coat a grizzled appearance with the basic colour yellow-brown to grey-brown. The underparts, the chin and the muzzle surrounding the lips are almost white. The stocky appearance is the result of the hair that stands almost erect rather than lying flat as in a typical coat. The ears are large and rounded with black hair bordering the inner edge. Only the ram carries short, vertical horns, which are spiraled at the base. There is a black ring around the top of the hooves. The females are slightly larger than the males and hornless. Klipspringers have a characteristic stilted gait with a bouncing motion and walk on the very tips of their peg-like hooves. The hooves have a long sole and are blunt at the tips.

Klipspringer are only found in rocky habitats, the inaccessible nature of the habitat and the sheltering crevices provide protection from predators. They are active in the early morning and the late afternoon, and throughout the day on cool days. They occur in pairs or small family groups. Rams are territorial and territories are marked using communal dung piles and secretions from the well-developed preorbital gland in front of the eye.

For a long time it was thought that the hollow bristly hair had a cushioning effect if the klipspringer should fall and knock itself against rocks, but it is now accepted that it has a function in regulating the temperature of the antelope. It insulates them against extreme cold and heat, and reflects the heat from their surroundings during the hotter times of the day. Years ago their hair was prized for stuffing saddles.

The conservation of the klipspringer is rated as “lower risk”, but is dependant on their protection within conservation areas.
(information from Biodiversity Explorer, The Web for Life in South Africa)
link http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/mam ... tragus.htm



This male and female Klipspringers was photographed in Marakele National Park at Lenong Viewing Point, November 2013.

Image

Image
Last edited by Super Mongoose on Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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