The jumping antelope is an animal that walks on tiptoe. Protective hairline

suborder: Ruminantia Scopoli, 1777 = Ruminants

Genus: Oreotragus Smith A., 1834 = Leaping Antelopes

There is only one species in the genus: jumping antelope - O. oreotragus Zimmermann, 1783.

The sizes are small. Body length 75-115 cm, tail length 8-13 cm, height at the withers 50-60 cm. Weight 14-18 kg. Females are slightly smaller than males. The back is arched and the sacrum is located above the nape. limbs medium height, relatively thick. The neck is short. The head is small, short with a wide forehead. At the end of the muzzle there is a section b hairless skin. The eyes are big. The ears are long and wide, with rounded tips. The tail is short and bare inner surface. The length of the horns reaches 16 cm; they are straight, slightly arched forward, far apart from each other. Females of one of the subspecies also have horns.

Long phalanxes of fingers are characteristic; metacarpals are short. The middle hooves are long, laterally compressed, with worn ends (they are the anchor points of the limbs). Animals stand, run and jump only on the tips of their hooves, so the tendon apparatus of the limbs is highly developed. The lateral hooves are set high, they are medium in size, wide, long and flat. Hairline without downy hair, coarse, but dense. The dorsal surface of the body is golden yellow or light yellow-brown. The back of the nose, the middle of the forehead, the back surfaces of the ears and the fingers above the middle hooves are brown-black or black. Limbs brown-gray or silver grey. The ventral side of the body, as well as the chin, lips, circles around the eyes are white or yellow-white. preorbital glands large sizes. There are no interdigital and inguinal glands. Nipples 2 pairs.

The skull is short and broad. The frontal region is very wide. The facial part of the skull is narrow and short. Gla the ridges are large, tubular, protruding to the sides. The ethmoidal foramina are large, small, or none at all. The bony auditory drums are small.

Distributed from Northern Nigeria to Ethiopia and Somalia, south through East Africa to Cape Good Hope and from here north to South Angola.

It lives in thickets of bushes on mountain slopes or on rocky outcrops in mountains, on hills and plains. Rocks - necessary condition for the life of the jumping antelope. Active in the morning and evening. It feeds on leaves, shoots, various herbs. The watering place does not visit regularly. Reproduction is not confined strictly to a particular season. The duration of pregnancy is about 7 months. The female brings one cub, which remains with the parents until the birth of the next. Maturity occurs, apparently, in 1.5 years. Life expectancy up to 10-1-2 years.

The local population hunts jumping antelopes for their meat and skin.

• Superclass Quadrupeds - Tetrapoda, Class Mammals - Mammalia

Jumping antelope, klipspringer, or sass - Oreotragus oreotragus- lives in mountains throughout eastern Africa - from Ethiopia to the Cape Good Hope. Her height at the withers is 60 cm, her weight is 18 kg, the length of the horns is up to 15 cm. The jumping antelope stands, runs and jumps, relying only on the tips of the hooves, the rubber-like structure of which helps to confidently climb steep slopes and jump from rock to rock. Like other antelopes of this group, only males are horned (the exception is the Tanzanian subspecies Oreotragus oreotragus schillingsi).

Despite the appearance of a mountain animal, it does not occur in real mountains, preferring separate ridges and outcrops of rocks and stones among dry plains overgrown with shrubs. Klippspringer is not uncommon and just in hilly terrain with rocky ground.

These antelopes are kept singly or in pairs, occasionally in small groups. They are very attached to a certain rocky area, but during dry times they make long migrations. They graze on flat lawns near rocks, where they escape in case of a sudden appearance of danger.

Sassa marks the boundaries of individual areas with secretions from the infraorbital glands, and the large heaps of droppings that are found where Klippspringers live, apparently, are some kind of latrines. Klinpspringers are very peaceful, and fights between males are extremely rare. Pregnancy lasts about 200 days, the female brings one, less often two cubs.

At first glance, klipspringers (Oreotragus oreotragus), often referred to as jumpers, or sass, are not very beautiful in appearance: gray-brown in color, relatively high legs, males with short straight horns, females (most) hornless. But these are the most interesting antelopes of Africa, because they have adapted to survive among the rocks.

UNUSUAL HABITAT

Klippspringers have perfectly adapted to life on rocky slopes and rounded mountain tops. They are found in southern Africa, on the other side of the Sahara. They live in isolated populations on isolated rocks or among groups of rocks in lowlands where there are bushes. They can be found on the slopes of mountains and in mountain ranges at an altitude of up to 4000 m, as well as on small granite hills (remnants).

PROTECTIVE HAIR COVER

Of interest is the coarse fur of klippspringers made of hollow, bristly hair. When the animal dusts itself off, the hair rustles in much the same way as the quills of a porcupine. This thick cover, on the one hand, provides insulation in extremely hot or very cold weather, which is typical for mountainous areas, and on the other hand, protects against injuries and abrasions on sharp rock edges. Finally, the mottled, pepper-and-salt-colored fur camouflages beautifully; this is especially important for young animals, which in the first months of life cannot run away in case of danger, but must cling to the ground and do not move for as long as possible.

STAND LIKE A CAMOIS

Klipspringers are very good jumpers and climbers. They almost do not need a supporting surface and can stand with all four legs on ledges of rocks, which are sometimes smaller than a paper plate. The secret of their confident step is that they step only on the tips of their hooves, which are smoothed. The outer edge is harder than the material on the inside of the hooves. Therefore, they grind faster, a sharp, protruding edge of the hoof bowl appears. This hoof construction provides optimal footing on smooth rocky surfaces, as it prevents slippage and supposedly guarantees good traction. Thus, the animals jump from one ledge to another and, in search of food, even dare to go down to the plain. In case of danger, they hide among the rocks, where they have a much greater advantage over their enemies.

CHOOSING PLANT EATERS WITH MULTIPLE ENEMIES

Klippspringers are especially active in the morning and afternoon; daytime heat they wait in the shade. These herbivorous animals prefer food that is easily digestible and poor in fibers. In most cases, klipspringers appear in pairs, sometimes accompanied by one, rarely two young animals. These are extremely cautious animals, where one of the partners is constantly watching the enemies. For leopards, hyenas and huge snakes small antelopes are easy prey, and goats are hunted by baboons, eagles and monitor lizards. If one detects an enemy, it emits a sharp trumpet whistle that can be heard for more than half a kilometer. Thus, he not only warns of the presence of the enemy, but also shows the latter that he has been detected.

UNION FOR LIFE

Little antelopes establish a long matrimonial relationship and all their adulthood are spending together. Obviously, this long-term devotion helps to protect the site and raise offspring, which is why this form of existence won in the course of evolution. They mark the boundaries of their site with a sweetish-smelling secret. The size of the plot depends on the availability of food. at

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF

Jumping antelope, klippspringer ( Oreotragus oreotragus)
Class Mammals.
Detachment artiodactyls.
The family is bovid.
Distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa.
Body length with head: 75-110 cm.
Weight: 10-18 kg.
Nutrition: leaves, seeds, young shoots.
Sexual maturity: from 1 year.
Duration of pregnancy: 7 months Number of babies: 1.
Lifespan: Unknown, up to 15 years in the zoo.

Among the many antelopes in Africa there is a very unusual baby - klipspringer, or sass. In the literature of the 19th - early 20th centuries, you can find another name for this animal - the jumping antelope, although now it is rarely used. Both the appearance and lifestyle of the Klipspringer differ from other antelopes, therefore it is distinguished into a special genus, where it consists in splendid isolation.

Male klipspringer, or sass.

The weight of the sass is only 10-15 kg with a height at the withers of 50-60 cm. The physique of these miniature ungulates is compact: the skull, wide at the base, sharply tapers to the muzzle, the neck is rather thin and flexible, but not long, the back smoothly arches into rounded croup, legs seem short compared to the length of the body, short tail. This portrait is complemented by wide ears, large, dark and expressive eyes, and males also have short (up to 10 cm), straight and thin horns. In addition to the presence of horns, males differ from females in somewhat smaller sizes. Representatives of both sexes are painted equally in a gray-brown color, with a gray tint better expressed on the croup, tail and legs, and sandy on the front of the body. Often, the brownish fur coat of the Sassy casts a barely noticeable green. The coat of the jumping antelope is unique: it is hard, elastic, smooth on the outside, but rather loose, as it consists of hollow hairs. Such fur perfectly retains heat on cool nights and protects from the baking sun during the day.

During the rest, these antelopes do not fall apart on the ground, but lie down, picking up their limbs under them.

Klipspringers in the stance like to bring their hind legs under the body, as if they are timidly waiting for something. They move in small steps and only in a moment of danger can they jump high. It should be noted that, unlike other small animals, which are often characterized by high mobility, sass are not fussy. These behaviors, together with appearance make jumping antelopes look like neat first graders.

Klipspringer in a characteristic stance inspects the surroundings.

The small size would greatly complicate the life of clipspringers, but they do not live everywhere. If most antelopes prefer open spaces overgrown with tall grass, then the Sasses inhabit the so-called remnants scattered among the savannah. Such landscapes can be found throughout East Africa, from Ethiopia and Somalia in the north to South Africa in the south, as well as in Namibia on the western coast of the continent. Remains are outcrops of rocks, usually small in area and located at some distance from each other. Each remnant can reach tens of meters in height, that is, for klipspringers it is quite comparable to the size of a mountain. However, they cannot be called truly mountain animals, since jumping antelopes are forced to leave their rocky shelters in search of food and go out to graze on the surrounding plains.

Sassa holds the record for the smallest footprint.

However, at the slightest danger, they tend to take refuge in reliable labyrinths of boulders. Unusual hooves help them move over huge stones. Their front surface is very durable and resistant to friction on a hard surface, but the rear-lower part is erased somewhat faster. Because of this, the Klipspringer's hooves self-sharpen like rodent teeth and acquire an almost conical shape. If you look at the hooves from the front, you can often see an impressive gap between the two fingers (in other ungulates they usually fit closer to each other), and when viewed from the side, it seems that the sass is on tiptoe, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe supporting surface is so small.

Such a structure of hooves will allow the jumping antelope to balance on narrow eaves and surfaces with a large slope, no worse than the famous mountain goats.

The diet of klipspringers includes herbaceous plants, shrub foliage, lichens, succulent fruits and legume seeds. With a lack of food, these little ones embark on bold migrations until they find suitable site. But the Sassa cope with the lack of water perfectly. They can do without a watering place for a long time, since the moisture contained in the feed is quite enough for them to quench their thirst.

The way of life of jumping antelopes is such that it makes these crumbs invisible to predators. Klipspringers never form large aggregations. Young individuals that have not found a mate roam alone, while older animals live in pairs. The offspring accompanies their parents for some time, so such a family may look like a small herd of 6-7 heads. Sass are monogamous, therefore they are faithful to their partner until death. When moving and feeding, members of the pair take turns watching the surroundings, noticing a suspicious movement nearby, they whistle warning through their noses, and in case of obvious danger they make a loud trumpet sound. Another way to attract the attention of relatives is a series of high jumps (often in one place), for which they called these antelopes jumpers.

Complete unanimity reigns between the members of the couple, but these animals are also peaceful with strangers.

Their reproduction is not confined to a specific season. IN mating season females emit a sweet smell, by which they are found by single males. In already established pairs, males protect the territory from unwanted aliens, leaving rather large heaps of droppings on elevated places, and also marking surrounding objects with secretions from the preorbital glands. Fights between them are very rare, in this case the relationship is sorted out by butting. After 200-214 days of pregnancy, the female in a secluded place brings 1 cub (very rarely 2). Another 2-3 months after birth, the baby does not leave the shelter, and then begins to follow the mother. She feeds him with milk for about 2 more months, and Klipspringers become fully sexually mature by 1.5 years. Their life expectancy is 10-12 years.

At the age of six months, young males begin to grow horns.

In general, the Sasses are not classified as a vulnerable animal species. Their fragile physique is compensated by caution and a specific habitat that is inaccessible to large predators. The main threat to the Sass are eagles, leopards, caracals, hyenas, baboons and large snakes. Man is also among its natural enemies. Klipspringer meat is considered very tasty; in the past, European colonists hunted these antelopes also for the sake of elastic fur, which was used to stuff saddle pads. By the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, jumping antelopes disappeared in many places, they even had to be artificially bred to return to nature. Today economic importance they are negligible, like game klipspringers gave way to large cattle, while not being forced out of their foothill pastures. Thus, nothing threatens this species of ungulates. Klipspringers can be seen in the collections of many major European zoos, but they are among the most famous of their inhabitants.

Male klipspringer with cub.

Jumping antelope (another name is klippspringer)- This is a small mammal artiodactyl animal belonging to the family of bovids, a subfamily of true antelopes.

Habitat. Klipspringers live among mountain ranges and in rocky gorges. major rivers from South and East Africa and up to the Ethiopian highlands, moving gracefully along the steep slopes, and their density reaches 45 individuals per square kilometer. The only exception is Burundi, where these antelopes have not been found for a long time. In the southeast of the Congo and in the Central African Republic, there are several practically isolated populations of jumping antelopes, and in Nigeria they inhabit the Jos plateau.

Description. Jumping antelopes are short (about half a meter) and stocky. Interestingly, the females are somewhat taller than the males. Body weight can reach 18 kg. Small ten centimeter horns in males (female jumpers have horns in only one subspecies) are wedge-shaped and widely spaced. Both females and males have preorbital glands, but jumpers have neither hoofed nor inguinal glands.

Dense, coarse wool does not have downy hair, but, like white-tailed deer, klippspringers have hollow hair, unique among representatives of bovids, loosely associated with the skin. The color of the back of jumping antelopes varies from golden yellow to light yellow-brown, and the belly, nasolabial region, chin and circles around the eyes are almost white or slightly yellowish. Not good long legs may be brown-gray or silver-gray. The middle of the forehead, the back of the ears, the back of the nose and part of the legs above the middle hooves are black or brown-black.

Nutrition. Jumping antelopes are very demanding on food. In their diet, there should always be juicy grassy shoots, grass and twigs of evergreen shrubs. They also love the seeds of legumes, lichens and flowers, feast on low-growing or fallen fruits. In search of places with richer vegetation, antelopes migrate and then do without food and water for quite a long time.

reproduction. The breeding season is seasonal (only in Zambia year-round) depending on the habitat, but created pairs of klippspringers are stable and do not break up throughout their lives. Pregnancy lasts 7 months and ends with the birth of one cub in rocky depressions, protected from prying eyes. These depressions, vigilantly guarded by the male, do not leave the young for the first 2-3 months. Milk feeding stops already by the fifth month of life, and by six months, little jumpers begin to grow horns, fully reaching a length, like in adult, to the sexually mature period - to one and a half years.

social behavior. Antelopes of this genus gather in groups of 6-8 individuals of this genus during the dry season, and with the advent of the rainy season, the groups break up. Territory marking occurs by males with the help of feces and secretions of the preorbital glands. Both males, putting forward horns, and females, desperately biting, participate in the protection of their site from their relatives. Single individuals (as a rule, this is a male whose female died) are rare among klippspringers (less than 10% of the total number).

Habitat jumping antelope is of no interest to humans and is not used for pastures of domestic animals, therefore, the danger to the population is only natural enemy- cheetah.