Fun Klipspringer Facts For Kids

The klipspringer (oreotragus oreotragus) is a tiny antelope species that will bowl any animal-lover over with how adorable it looks. Klipspringers have a small body and neck, large hindquarters, large rounded ears, and a small tail. They have a yellowish gray and reddish-brown coat and their hooves have a unique structure. Their hooves are cylindrical in shape and the last joints are rotated, this makes it easier for them to jump from rock to rock.

Females are larger than males in size, while males are about 34 in (86.2 cm) in length, females are 35.6 in (90.5 cm) long. Klipspringers are found in rocky terrains, including koppies or on a rocky mountain. A distinct feature in males is that they have horns, while females lack horns. They can be found in North-eastern Sudan, Eritrea, northern Somalia, and on rocky mountains in southern Africa.

The chief predators of klipspringers are leopards, jackals, and spotted hyenas. Klipspringers (Oreotragus oreotragus) are excellent rock jumpers and they are mainly able to avoid their predators by fleeing to higher grounds. After escaping from predators, males and females make loud sounds in a duet together!

Here, we have a lot of amazing and interesting facts about klipspringers that you will enjoy. Let's take a look at these klipspringers facts and information and if you enjoy these then, do read our addax and gerenu k facts too!

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What type of animal is a klipspringer?

The klipspringer (oreotragus oreotragus) belongs to a species of antelope, and they live on rocky surfaces. They're perfect rock jumpers and avoid their predators by jumping from rock to rock and fleeing to higher regions. They're often found in the African safari and are truly beautiful animals.

What class of animal does a klipspringer belong to?

The klipspringer (oreotragus oreotragus) species belong to the class Mammalia. They're a species of antelope and have yellowish-gray or reddish-brown coats.

How many klipspringers are there in the world?

Klipspringers come under the category of Least Concern. There are approximately 40,000 klipspringers alive in the world.

Where does a klipspringer live?

A klipspringer lives in rocky terrains, koppies, and gorges in northeastern Sudan, Eritrea, northern Somalia, and the Ethiopian Highlands to the east. These terrains and koppies serve as an excellent background to live against as the color of their coat blends with their habitat, helping them to remain camouflaged and hide from their predators when needed.

What is a klipspringer's habitat?

A klipspringer's habitat consists of rocky areas such as rocky hills, koppies, or gorges. They are really good mountain climbers as they can easily jump from rock to rock. A klipspringer antelope is an excellent rock jumper and it has special hooves that are well-adapted for rock climbing.

Who do klipspringers live with?

Klipspringers mostly live in monogamous pairs but they're also found living with their offspring too. They live with their mate and depend on one another to defend their territory. When under attack by predators, female klipspringers lead and males follow until they both reach a safe distance, then they make loud sounds together towards their predator.

How long does a klipspringer live?

The life expectancy of a klipspringer living in the wild is estimated to be 15 years, but the longest a klipspringer has ever lived was 17 years and 10 months, that was when it was living in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

A female klipspringer gives birth roughly once every 16 months. The breeding season of klipspringers occurs in the months of August and September and the gestation period of a female klipspringer is six months long. Their young become mature in about one year.

What is their conservation status?

Klipspringers come under the status of Least Concern. They're hard to reach for predators as they live in rocky areas and can climb rocks quite easily and there are around 40,000 of them alive right now.

What do klipspringers look like?

A Klipspringer has a yellowish-gray or reddish-brown coat and a white underbelly. They have a short body and neck with long rounded ears and a short tail. Their hair is hollow and smooth like that of an African antelope. Klipspringer hooves are cylindrical in shape and the last joints of their hooves are rotated which helps the klipspringer jump on rocks easily to escape predators. Normally, females are larger than males. The males are around 34 in (86.2 cm) long, while the females are 35.6 in (90.5 cm) in length.

How cute are they?

Like most antelopes, the klipspringer is also a really cute animal. It has a yellowish-gray or reddish-brown coat and some sub-species are yellow-brown while some are bright golden-yellow. In South Africa, only the male has horns while in eastern regions of Africa, there is a sub-species in which both the male and the female have horns. We think that they are super cute animals! Have you ever been lucky enough to see one, perhaps at the zoo or on a safari ride?

How do they communicate?

Klipspringers mark their territory by depositing feces around it. Other klipspringer animals then use glands near their eyes to follow the scent and smell of the feces. Male and females communicate with each other through whistles and warn each other of predators by making loud noises.

How big is a klipspringer?

The average klipspringer size is 29.5–45 in (75–115 cm) long and its height is around 16.9–20 in (43–51 cm). It is considered a small animal and is actually smaller than many of its predators. For example, a spotted hyena is around 37.4-67 in (95-170cm) in length while a leopard is 35.4-63 in (90-160 cm) in length. The main advantage that a klipspringer has is being a really good rock climber.

How fast can a klipspringer run?

Klipspringers are known for their jumping ability, so they actually run less and jump between rocks more. Klipspringers can jump between 10-12 ft (3-3.6 m). It is sometimes said that they can jump up to 25 ft (7.62 m) but that's just an exaggeration of their abilities. Their cylindrical hooves are also ideal for climbing rocks and help them when escaping from their predators.

How much does a klipspringer weigh?

The weight of a klipspringer is between 18–40 lb (8–18 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

Male and female klipspringer do not have separate names, they both share the same name and the same scientific name, Oreotragus oreotragus.

What would you call a baby klipspringer?

A klipspringer baby is called a calf. Each calf remains in hiding for the first two to three months of its life and reaches maturity after one year. When it becomes mature, it leaves its mother in search of a mate and to mark a new territory as its own.

What do they eat?

Klipspringers cannot eat much mainly due to their small stomach size. They graze for nutritious fruits and flowers and they usually feed on flowers and fruit plants such as rock false candlewood, kudu berry, Kuni bush, and velvet bushwillow. They do not drink much water either, as they consume the water that has accumulated on the vegetation or is present in their food. They often eat fleshy leaves for their water content and not for nutrients.

Are they aggressive?

Klipspringers are quite aggressive when it comes to protecting their territory. They usually live in pairs and defend their territory together. They strike a statue-like pose on tall rocks with the hope of making their enemies go away. Males often show aggression towards another klipspringer if it tries to approach its hidden calf.

Would they make a good pet?

Klipspringers are cute and small animals but they cannot be kept as pets. They belong in the wild, in rocky habitats and koppies.

Did you know...

In South Africa, only male klipspringers have horns while in eastern regions of Africa, there are klipspringer sub-species in which both males and females have horns.

The name 'klipspringer' is a mixture of the Afrikaans words 'Klip' which means 'rocks' and 'springer' which means 'leaper' or 'jumper', explaining its ability to jump rocks easily. It is also known as a 'klipbok' sometimes. In English, this word literally means a 'small antelope that lives in the mountainous regions of Africa'.

These mountain jumping antelopes are also sometimes described as an 'African ballerina' as the act of jumping from rock to rock on its toes imitates performances made by a ballerina.

There klipspringer's response to danger involves making lots of noises. When they sense danger, they make a shrill, ear-piercing sound from their nostrils. After spotting a predator, they make loud roaring noises and run away to higher ground. When they reach a safe distance, the male and female make loud noises in a duet, the male's whistle is followed by the female's whistle towards the predator, telling it that they are aware of its presence. Also, during their mating season, they are known to make soft humming sounds to show affection to their partners.

Do klipspringers mate for life?

Searching for new mates consumes a lot of energy, so klipspringers stick to one partner for life. They would rather spend energy on protecting their territory together than searching for a new mate. While one eats, the other klipspringer guards their territory and they also protect each other while they are searching for food.

When under attack, both males and females run towards higher grounds. Females lead while males follow just behind, watching their back. The father klipspringer marks a territory ranging from 5-10 acres and rarely leaves it. After a calf is born, the baby stays in hiding to remain safe from predators and the mother visits it three to four times a day to feed it. The father does not leave the territory and protects its mate and offspring constantly throughout its life.

Who are a klipspringer's chief predators?

Leopards, jackals, and spotted hyenas are a klipspringer's chief predators. Klipspringers are excellent rock jumpers and they avoid their predators by fleeing to higher grounds. Klipspringers live in rocky terrains in Africa and other regions. The color and patterns of klipspringers help them camouflage with their habitat and avoid their predators. Once they have avoided their predators, both males and females make loud sounds in a duet across the rocky terrain.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including the alpine ibex, or bharal.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Klipspringer coloring pages.