This klipspringer ram (Oreotragus oreotragus) with its thick, coarse coat, consisting of hollow, brittle hair, now and then darts across the road to impress an ewe. The Visagies found him near the Nkumbe Lookout at the foothills of the Lebombo Mountains, on the way to the Tshokwane Picnic Site in the Kruger National Park.
Apparently klipspringers can jump 3 to 3.6 meters straight up in the air. On average they weigh 16 kilograms and thus they are some of the smallest antelopes in Africa. Here we can see the klipspringer feasting on leaves ‒ this is their main source of moisture, which means that they are not dependent on freshwater sources. They are found singly or in pairs. After a gestation period of about 7 months, a single lamb is born in summer.
The footage has once again been provided by Katie and André of Two-V Productions. We thank them for their great videos. Please subscribe to their YouTube channel and follow their Facebook page. Books in their Op Vlerke series can be ordered from Kraal Uitgewers. Number four in the series will be available soon. The books are only in Afrikaans.
