Grey+Rhebok

//Pelea Capreolus,// or the grey rhebok is a species of medium sized antelope in South Africa. This species of antelope had distinct features that no other antelope has. They have a wooly coat that is curlier and longer than most antelope coats are. Most of their coat is a brownish-grey color, while the under parts of the coat are an off-white color. The way one can tell if they have spotted a grey rhebok is by their facial and head area. They have long, erect ears and there is a patch of fur underneath their ear that is bare. The grey rhebok also has a long, narrow muzzle with a small mouth at the end of it. In addition, they have a quite large forehead and black eyelids. Although grey rheboks are a medium sized antelope, they are about 1.15 to 1.25 meters in length and weigh about 30 kilograms when full grown. The grey rhebok mates anytime between the months of February and April. The mother, or the ewe, only can carry one lamb per eight month gestation period. About three days before this lamb is born, the ewe strays away from the rest of the group of grey rheboks. Once the lamb is born, the mother keeps the lamb hidden from the rest of the group for six weeks so they can grow some before returning back to the group. Since the habitat that the grey rhebok lives in is actually quite grassy, it is easier for the mother to hide her young lamb, so nothing can harm them before they return. This area that they live in is mainly grassy areas and areas with quite a bit of foliage.

The social grouping of the grey rhebok is somewhat complicated; they are found in groups of no more than twelve and consist of one adult ram (male), a few ewes (mothers) and the lambs. The rams in the group, however, may drift away from the others and become a recluse. The grey rhebok is very territorial of their areas and every rhebok in the herd will defend one specific area of their territory. They protect themselves by making a snorting, groaning, or hissing sound to let the others know that they are in trouble, so they can get assistance. The especially have to watch out for animals such as the lion, leopard, hyena, Cape hunting dog, python, and jackal, as these animals are the grey rheboks most major threats. For most of the day, these animals are on the hunt and alert and active at all times. However, when it becomes hot that’s when they start to relax in a shady, cool area.

The grey rhebok has what is called “mixed feeding.” That means they eat things like shrubs and forbs (which is a flowering shrub in the areas they live in), while they also at things like roots, flowers, and seeds. However, those seeds and flowers are only around seasonally, so they are not likely to get those things all the time throughout the whole year. They are really only around in the months between June and November. So in the months before and after June and November, they eat the shrubs and foliage around their areas of land.