Bates's Pygmy Antelope
Encyclopedia
Bates's Pygmy Antelope—also known as the Dwarf Antelope, Pygmy Antelope or Bates' Dwarf Antelope—is a very small antelope
live in the moist forest
and brush of Central
and West Africa
. It is in the same genus as the suni
and the royal antelope
.
Adult antelope weigh about 2 to 3 kg (4.4 to 6.6 lb), 50 to 57 cm (19.7 to 22.4 in) long, with a tail length of 4.5 to 5 cm (1.8 to 2 in). Only males have horns
, about 3.8 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in) long. Their coat is shiny dark chestnut on the back and lighter toward the flanks. Male antelopes are generously bigger than females.
Bate's pygmy antelopes eat leaves, buds, shoots, fungus, grass, and herbs. They also eat crops, which made them unpopular to farmers. They are often caught in snares near agricultural fields. They have a typical territory of 2 to 4 ha (4.9 to 9.9 acre). Males are territorial; marking their territory with scent produces in the preorbital glands. Females are friendlier with each other and sometimes live in small groups. They bark when fleeing. Most pygmy antelopes mate at late dry and early wet seasons. Gestation period is 180 days. One young is born per pregnancy. The fawn weight between 1.6 to 2.4 kg (3.5 to 5.3 lb).
Bate's pygmy antelopes are not endangered; the IUCN list does not show them as Near Threatened. Their biggest problem is habitat loss; the expansion of human population has a very negative effect on the future population. They are not hunted for meat, but farmers sometimes kill and eat limited numbers.
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
live in the moist forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and brush of Central
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
and West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. It is in the same genus as the suni
Suni
Suni is a very small species of antelope. It occurs in south-east Africa in dense underbrush.Suni are around 12-17 inches high at the shoulder and weigh 10-12 pounds . They are usually reddish brown, darker on their back than their sides and legs. The belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are...
and the royal antelope
Royal Antelope
The Royal Antelope is a West African antelope, only 25–30 cm high at the shoulder and weighing only 3.2–3.6 kg — it is the smallest of all antelopes. Their calves are small enough to fit into the average person's open hand...
.
Adult antelope weigh about 2 to 3 kg (4.4 to 6.6 lb), 50 to 57 cm (19.7 to 22.4 in) long, with a tail length of 4.5 to 5 cm (1.8 to 2 in). Only males have horns
Horn (anatomy)
A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering of horn surrounding a core of living bone. True horns are found mainly among the ruminant artiodactyls, in the families Antilocapridae and Bovidae...
, about 3.8 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in) long. Their coat is shiny dark chestnut on the back and lighter toward the flanks. Male antelopes are generously bigger than females.
Bate's pygmy antelopes eat leaves, buds, shoots, fungus, grass, and herbs. They also eat crops, which made them unpopular to farmers. They are often caught in snares near agricultural fields. They have a typical territory of 2 to 4 ha (4.9 to 9.9 acre). Males are territorial; marking their territory with scent produces in the preorbital glands. Females are friendlier with each other and sometimes live in small groups. They bark when fleeing. Most pygmy antelopes mate at late dry and early wet seasons. Gestation period is 180 days. One young is born per pregnancy. The fawn weight between 1.6 to 2.4 kg (3.5 to 5.3 lb).
Bate's pygmy antelopes are not endangered; the IUCN list does not show them as Near Threatened. Their biggest problem is habitat loss; the expansion of human population has a very negative effect on the future population. They are not hunted for meat, but farmers sometimes kill and eat limited numbers.