Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Steenbok

Raphicerus campestris

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The steenbok is a species of artiodactyl mammal of the subfamily Antilopinae. It is a small African antelope, similar in appearance to the oribi, distributed across the savannahs of eastern and southern Africa. It is very agile and prefers the most nutritious and tender shoots, new leaves, flowers and fruit. It is the only bovid that first scrapes at the ground with its feet, in order to defecate and urinate there. It weighs up to 11 kilograms. It may live in pairs or be solitary. Conservation status: common, low risk.

Weight

7 kg – 16 kg

Size

70 cm – 95 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal Solitary Savanna Desert Grassland Mammal

43countries 18parks86same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt scrapes the ground to bury its droppings and leave predators no trail.
It buries its droppings and urine by scraping a hole with its front feet and covering it afterwards, a behaviour that is uncommon among antelopes and that probably reduces its scent trail.
In many parts of its range it never drinks: it meets its water needs from the roots, tubers and succulent leaves it eats.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Open savannah, grassland and dry scrub with grass cover of eastern and southern Africa
Sexual maturity: 7.8 months
Gestation / incubation: 6.5 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphicerus_campestris