African hunting Dog
Height: 58 cm
Weight: M 15 kg; F 17 kg
Active: Mainly diurnal
Habitat: Open grassveld
Food: Grass maintained by fire
The largest of the small antelope with usually rufous yellow orange upperparts and white underparts and inner thighs , which extends on to the front of the chest. Has a rekatively long neck, medium sized ears and short tail; with distinguishing black tip.
Only the rams has horns and these are short, erect and partly ridged. They usually occur in pairs or smalll parties consisting of one ram, which is vigorously territorial and up to four ewes. Communal dung heaps serve a territorial marking function, as do secretions from the preorbital glands and other glands which are pasted on to grass stalks. Oribi are inquisitive, and will turn to look back at the source of disturbance after running a short distance.
When disturbed they normally give a sharp whistle or sneeze and run off rapidly with occasional stiff legged jumps displaying the black tipped tail. They are bound to their range and rarely leave it even unedr stress.
When disturbed they lie down on long grass with the head erect making them difficult to erect making them difficult to erect.
