ANTELOPE
			Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Chordata Mammalia Artiodactyla Bovidae

Antelopes belong to the same family as cattle, sheep and goats. They are mostly delicate and timid animals, capable of running at great speed on their slender legs when threatened by predators.

A few species of antelope live in Asia, including the saiga of central Asia, various gazelles in the deserts of southwest Asia, and the blackbuck and nilgai of India. There is no true antelope in the Americas, although one North American animal is called the pronghorn antelope. However, this animal belongs to a different, ancient family that arose and developed in North America.

Africa has the greatest number of species and the largest populations of antelopes, many of which can be seen in huge herds, particularly in some of the magnificent national parks. There are 72 African species in all, and they occur throughout the contin ent, as they are adapted to many kinds of habitats. For example, the endangered addax is adapted to life in the desert, and some antelopes, like the bongo, live in forests. Others live on mountain-sides, and a few, such as the waterbuck prefer marshes. Some species, such as the lechwe, may spend all day submerged in water up to their necks in flooded grasslands. However, most antelopes are found on the savanna of eastern and southern Africa.

Antelopes vary in size from the tiny dik-dik, duiker, suni, and royal antelope to the massive giant eland, which is the largest of all antelopes. The difference in size is caused by adaptation to environment, as is the varying diet of antelopes. Because of special adaptations, various antelopes and other animals can live side by side without competition over the same food. They graze and browse on a very wide range of plants, and where two species feed on one type of plant they usually eat different pa rts of it.

Nearly all antelopes have horns. The female's horns are usually smaller than the male's. Horns may be short and straight, or long and elaborately curved. Sometimes, they form an elegant spiral, but they are never forked like the antlers of the deer. T he horns are sometimes interlocked in a combat situation between males at the mating season, or in the defense of territory. The fight then becomes a pushing contest. Often times, sharp, pointed hornes will be used as weapons. The oryx have speared lio ns with their horns and bushbuck have been known to kill men. The coats of antelopes are mostly smooth. A variety of colors and patterns occur, although, brown and gray are the most common.

Because of their attractive horns, their edible meat, and useful skins, several species of antelope have been overhunted and are threatened with extinction. Only a few hundred of the magnificient giant sable antelope of Angola have survived, and are now being protected.