15 African Deer Species – Antelope and Gazelle

The wild world of Africa is home to numerous species of large mammals like African Lion, elephants, Cape buffalo and giraffe. Africa is also home to many of the endemic, rich and diverse wild Species of deer, antelope and gazelle also supports a wide range of ungulates.

Impala

Impala antelope of Africa is known for anti predator strategy and found in woodlands and savannahs. The impala medium-sized slender antelope is very much similar to Grant’s gazelle in build and an important prey cheetahs, leopards and lions.

Thomson’s Gazelle

Thomson’s gazelle is the most common type of gazelle found in Africa and one of the top 5 fastest land animal in the world. The small sized gazelle lives in savannas and grassland habitat of Africa, can run extremely fast but chased by cheetah and sometimes by leopards and lions.

Springbok

Springbok species of antelope is characterized by a white face, black horns that curve backwards and light-brown coat like the Thomson’s gazelle.
They active mainly at dawn and dusk and is the national animal of South Africa, One of the fastest land animal in Africa.

Bushbuck

Cape bushbuck species of antelope are found in dry forest and savanna bush of Africa along with other deer, gazelle and antelope. Gorongosa National Park of Mozambique, Cape in South Africa and Zambia are best places to bushbuck antelope in Saharan Africa.

Reedbuck

Southern reedbuck is also known as common reedbuck, typically found in southern Africa and the mountain reedbuck found in Botswana, Tanzania and Kenya. This red antelope is larger than the other species of reedbuck and mainly feeds on grasses.

Waterbuck

Waterbuck antelope found under two varieties of Ellisprymnus and Defassa, inhabit scrub and savanna areas of Africa. The waterbuck is one of the largest species of Kobus and found areas alongside rivers, lakes and valleys.

Steenbok

Steenbok small antelope found in southern Kenya to northern Tanzania and also in central part of Kruger National Park in South Africa. They are active during the day and the night, known to live for 7 years or more and the predators include martial eagle, caracal, and pythons.

Oribi

Oribi is another well known small antelope found in Africa along with klipspringer and bush duiker, occurs in a variety of habitats.
The small oribi active mainly during the day and prefers fresh grasses from the savannahs to floodplains and tropical grasslands.

Duiker

Common duiker is a small antelope species that everywhere in Africa against wide variety of habitats. The bush duiker are adaptable to variety of forested areas and has a wide diet, from leaves, flowers to scavenge to fruits.

Klipspringer

Klipspringer antelope are small, sturdy antelope, typically nocturnal and is the sole member of the genus. The small klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with reddish brown in color that acts as an efficient camouflage.

Grant’s Gazelle

Grant’s gazelle is one of the most common species of gazelle found in East Africa, generally mixed feeders with Thomson’s gazelles and Impala. They are migratory animals and a good source of prey item for cheetahs, wild dogs and leopards.

Dorcas Gazelle

Dorcas gazelle is closely related mountain gazelle and also highly adapted to the desert, mountain desert and semi-desert climates of Africa. The small common gazelle species has natural predators like humans, cheetahs, leopards, Arabian wolves and also they can run extremely fast.

Giraffe Gazelle

Gerenuk is known as giraffe gazelle but a long necked antelope that roam around drier parts of East Africa. The giraffe gazelle is the sole member of the genus and notably tall, slender antelope with longer, heavier neck and a shorter tail.

Red Fronted Gazelle

Red-fronted gazelle found from grasslands to savannas, reside in the Sahel zone and closely related to Thomson’s gazelle. They are listed as vulnerable along with Soemmerring’s gazelle and genetically related to other gazelle found in Africa.

Bontebok and Blesbok

Bontebok antelope is related to the common tsessebe or sassaby, blesbok and the bontebok are two subspecies having different habitats in the wild. Other species of deers found in Africa are blue duiker, klipspringer, Dibatag, Bontebok, Grey rhebok, Cuvier’s Gazelle,Rhim gazelle,Red-fronted Gazelle, Soemmerring’s Gazelle,Dama Gazelle and Speke’s Gazelle.