by Caroline Galliani, of the University of Vermont
The research my classmates, instructors, and I are conducting this semester in Botswana has given me the opportunity to experience incredible wildlife sightings almost every day. Before I got here, I had hoped I would get a chance to see some of the charismatic animals that I’ve only gotten a chance to see in captivity. What pleasantly surprised me is that I found myself most enthralled by the species I didn’t even know existed.
For example, of course I knew there were antelope in Botswana, but did I know there are 15 different species just in the Okavango Region? Surely not. By definition, antelopes are “a swift running deer-like ruminant with smooth hair and upward pointing horns…” (Oxford). A ruminant is an even-toed mammal with hooves. They contain four-chambered stomachs, and chew cud as part of their digestion process. Giraffes, sheep, and cattle are also ruminants. During my time here, I learned that “swift running” and “deer-like” can come in many shapes and sizes (ranging from the Steenbok, ~13kg to the Eland, ~940kg). Every antelope in the Delta has a special adaption to fit its niche. Here are a few of my favorite antelopes:
- Oryx/Gemsbok (Oryx gazella): The Oryx, known as Gemsbok in Afrikaans, weigh ~250 kg as adults. They have an unmistakable contrast of pitch black and white on their face/legs (to me it looks like they’re wearing a mask), massive (~105 cm) lance-like horns, and a gray-brown heavy set body with the tail of a horse. Both male and female Oryx have permanent horns (unlike deer that shed their antlers seasonally). Once, I saw a male Oryx with only one horn who had likely lost the other in a fight. As he peered out from behind the scrub, he truly looked like some sort of Rock n’ Roll, heavy metal unicorn.
Oryx. Photo by Lauren Berkley.
Oryx are said to “embody the spirit of the African Veldt” (Blaine, 1922) for their ability to survive with minimal shade and water. They can survive off of completely dry grass, dug up roots, and as little as 8.5 liters of water a day (3L/100kg bodyweight). They can even raise their body temperature 10 degrees Celsius above normal on hot days to reduce their water needs.
- Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris): Steenbok are the first antelope I saw in Botswana (come to think of it, the first antelope I had ever seen) and when I spotted an adult female sitting all alone under a tree, I thought it was a baby that had been abandoned by her mom. They are less than a meter tall, and males have tiny black cone-shaped horns. Aside from Impala, they are the most common antelope in the Okavango region. When Steenbok feel threatened, they freeze in position. If the threat persists, they burst off into a zig-zag sprint in an attempt to fluster and evade their predator (typically a Cheetah or a Martial Eagle).
Steenbok (male on the left, female on the right). Photo by Lauren Berkley.
Sometimes, I see them kicking the ground for minerals in the dirt to supplement their diet of leaves, fruit, and seeds. Like Oryx, Steenbok have evolved as a species to survive in desert conditions. I learned that Steenbok can survive their entire life with out drinking water (non-water dependent); they get all the water they need from their food.
- Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus): Waterbuck are medium-sized (~200kg), gray-brown antelopes with a white circle on their behind—my classmates and I joke that they have a toilet seat butt. They are one of, if not the most water dependent antelope in the Delta, which limits their territory to floodplains or grassland close to water. They are noticeably shaggier than any other antelope, especially around the neck. This neck-shag traps air bubbles, creating buoyancy that helps hold their neck above deep water. It also holds in the oils they secrete, making them especially smelly.
Waterbuck. Photo by Lauren Berkley.
Waterbucks use their water adaptions to evade predators as well. For example, if a lion were to attempt an ambush near a water source, the Waterbuck would likely plunge itself inside and get as deep as possible, enough to deter most predators (Gutteridge and Reumerman 2011).