Klipspringer
Scientific Name
Class
Order
Range
Habitat
Estimated Wild Population
More Information
Physical Description
Klipspringers are dwarf antelopes measuring 20 inches in height and weighing an average of 24 pounds. Females are larger than males, but males have a small set of pointed horns that can reach four inches in length. These grazing mammals eat grasses, leaves, buds, and fruit found in their rocky habitat. They typically live in small family groups composed of a breeding pair and their young offspring. After breeding, females give birth in a rocky alcove, where offspring remain protected from predators for two to three months.
Interesting Fact 1
Klipspringers mark their territory with small scent-producing glands on their face.
Interesting Fact 2
Their hooves have a rubbery texture in the center, which helps them grip rock, and a sharp outer edge that keeps them firmly planted.
Interesting Fact 3
Males wrestle with their horns to compete for females.
Species Survival Plan®
We cooperate with other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to manage the zoo population of this species through a Species Survival Plan®.
Commitment to Care
Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.
Support Your Zoo
Animals Depend On People Too
When you ADOPT an animal, you support world-class animal care by helping to provide specially formulated diets, new habitat elements, and regular veterinary checkups.
Wish List
The Wish List is full of one-of-a-kind items for the zoo’s animals, including nutritious snacks and enrichment items to keep them active and healthy.
Take Action With Us
Wildlife face many daunting challenges—some global, like planet-wide climate change, and some that affect individuals, like an animal ingesting plastic—but now is not the time to despair. None of these problems are too big for us to come together and solve.
