There are many varieties of antelopes. They differ in size, habitat and appearance. Another feature of this artiodactyl mammal are hollow horns that do not have processes.
Wildebeest is an animal of South Africa. Having large dimensions, it resembles a horse with a bull's head. Upon careful examination, you might think that her appearance is collected from small things and details taken from different animals.
The wildebeest has a mane and tail, like a horse, on the inside of the neck there is a hair suspension resembling mountain goats, and the voice is somewhat similar to the lowing of a cow. The animal grows very large, weighing up to 250 kg, reaching 1.5 m in height and length - 2.8 m. It also has large wide horns that bend forward and then to the sides.
Wildebeest has thin slender legs that allow you to reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. Depending on the subspecies, the color can be from gray-brown to dark ash. The animal is a herbivore, so it depends heavily on the rainy season.
Antelopes have to migrate twice a year in search of food. Numerous herds into which they go astray while running can harm the environment, trampling many kilometers of plains.
The mating period begins in mid-April and lasts three to four weeks. The female has 8.5 months of gestation. Wildebeest is a very caring and attentive mother.
A litter usually has one (very rarely two) calf. Just one hour after birth, he can walk and run. After 7-10 days, a small wildebeest already tastes the grass, but refuses mother's milk only after 7 months.
It is not possible to tame these animals, but they are always hunted because their meat is very tasty.
During a sudden attack by predators, wildebeests scatter in different directions. They are included in the diet of crocodiles, lions, cheetahs, hyenas and leopards. In rare cases, a wildebeest can fight off attacks with hooves and horns.
The mountain antelope, the chamois, differs significantly from the plains of the plains. Thanks to the special structure of the hooves, it moves well along the rocks. The animal is small in size, growing to only one meter in length, and has a weight of not more than 50 kg. The horns are slightly curved back and reach 25-30 cm.
Chamois can be found in the mountains of Europe. They usually live in packs of 15-25 individuals, consisting only of young animals and females. Males live alone, and in a herd appear only during the mating season.
Usually, in the beginning of summer, 1-3 cubs are born near the mountain antelope, who will eat only mother’s milk for three months. Chamois life expectancy is up to 20 years. They are hunted by predators such as a bear, lynx and wolves.
Several varieties of other antelopes also live in Asia. One of them is a garn.
This Asian antelope has its own peculiarity: the female and the male, unlike many other mammals of this species, have different body colors. The former are much lighter than their relatives of the opposite sex.
Garn is a medium-sized antelope with a height of 75-80 cm and a weight of 30-40 kg. Spiral horns growing up to 75 cm have only males. She lives about 12 years.
These animals live in numerous herds only on the plains. Garn never enter the woods. They adapt to any adverse conditions very quickly.
In the mating season between males of the Asian antelope, one can observe fierce battles. The gestation period of the female is 5-6 months. After the birth of the cubs, the female hides them for several weeks in tall grass.
The main predators that hunt the garn are wolves. Due to their caution and ability to develop high speed, these antelopes rarely become victims of other large animals.
