The Royal Antelope is a 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:...

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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...

, only 25–30 cm (10–12 inches) high at the shoulder and weighing only 3.2–3.6 kg (9–10 lb

Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...

) — it is the smallest of all antelopes. Their calves are small enough to fit into the average person's open hand. It is light brown in colour, with a paler underbelly and slightly darker heads and flanks. The male has small, spike-like horns, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long.

Royal Antelopes live in dense forests in West Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

, feeding on leaves and fruit in the undergrowth. They are mostly nocturnal and are very shy, reputedly able to leap 2.5 metres in one bound if disturbed. They are not gregarious, living on their own or occasionally in pairs.