Which African Animals Look Like Deer?
Many African animals look like deer, but they aren’t. Closely related to the deer family is the antelope family. There are a few differences between these two groups of animals, and we will be discussing them today in this post!
What's the difference between an antelope and a deer?
- Deer are typically smaller than antelopes, and they only have one set of hooves. Antelope, on the other hand, usually have two sets of hooves as a result of their pronged toes that allow them to run faster in open spaces more efficiently.
- Unlike deer, antelopes generally don’t care much about what is around them at any time. They do not fear predators like deer do because they are fast enough to escape if needed. Usually, when an animal sees danger, it will freeze up and wait for its odds to change; this difference is primarily due to their size difference! The difference between deer and antelopes can be seen as one being cautious while the other has no qualms with approaching a predator.
- Antelopes also have pronged up toes, which give them an advantage in the open. They can run faster than deer because of these sharp claws on their feet that help propel them forward.
- – One difference you might not know about is antelope horns curl back to protect the animal’s head and neck area, while deer are only equipped with one set of horns!
- One difference that may not be obvious is the difference in their tongues. While deer have a long tongue with hair on it, antelopes’ tongues are short and smooth.
- Another difference between these two animals is the number of vertebrae. Deer generally have around seven to nine, while an average antelope has twelve or thirteen.
- Deers are typically found living near streams and valleys where there’s lots of vegetation; whereas African animals like gazelles run free among open plains as well as mountainsides.
The Barbary stag also called “Atlas Deer” is a member of the red deer family and the only deer species native to Africa. Its natural habitat includes the Atlas Mountains of North-central Africa. The Barbary stag can reach up to 115 cm (53 inches) at the shoulder, with males weighing an average of 260 kg (573 lbs). Its tusks are usually only found on mature males, and they can grow up to 15 centimeters long. Barbary stags are an endangered species, and the population is probably less than 100,000 animals, with a declining trend in recent years.
African animals that look like deer are Antelopes and can be found all over Africa.
- The sable Antelope has a dark brown coat with white spots all over it, making them very easy to spot across their habitat while fleeing predator attacks or looking for mates during mating season. The males also develop horns at around five years old, unlike females who never grow horns, so if you see one with no headgear, it is most likely female! They inhabit grasslands, savannahs, and open woodlands.
- The roan antelope is an inhabitant of the forests in Africa! They have a brown coat with white markings on their bodies, from spots to stripes or dots. The males develop horns at around five years old, but females never grow them, so if you see one without any headgear, it is most time female!
- The bushbuck is a medium-sized mammal that lives in dense underbrush or woodland habitats. They have brown and black coats with white markings all over their body to make them look like the color of dirt, thus not making it easy for predators to spot them on the ground! The males sometimes fight each other during mating season when looking for mates because they are polygamous animals which means they will mate with more than one animal as long as there are still females available.
- The waterbuck is a large mammal that lives near bodies of fresh water in Africa. Females will mate with more than one male during the mating season.
Impalas are mammals in the family Bovidae. These animals look like deer, but they live on the African savannas, not North America. Impala has distinctive long horns which curve outwards from their head. The males’ horns can grow to 34 inches high; females have shorter horns that end just before the eye sockets (17-18 inches). Males use these for mating battles with other males during mating season. Luckily, those don’t happen often! - Thomson’s Gazelle is one of the most famous animals in Africa. It’s easy to see why it has such a broad fan base when considering its many unique qualities. For instance, Thomson’s Gazelle are some of the fastest animals on earth and can reach speeds up to 56km per hour (35mph). Scientists also consider them “leaping machines” because they can jump up to three meters high from a standing position or more than two meters horizontally! Their size may fool you – but don’t ever underestimate this little animal!
- The springbok is a large, antelope-like animal that lives in the grasslands of southern Africa. It stands about two and a half feet tall at its shoulder and weighs up to 100 pounds. The name “spring” comes from this animal’s ability to jump great distances–more than 15 yards! That distance makes it one of the world’s most agile animals.
It has a golden-brown coat with lighter markings on its chest; males have horns while females do not. Springboks live together in herds, mostly of females plus their young offspring.
Reedbuck also called a Red Buck, or Kenyan Antelope, is an African animal that resembles the European deer. Reedbucks are typically about 80 cm tall and weigh between 65 and 95 pounds, with males larger than females—this Antelope’s subspecies, such as the Chinese reedbuck (Red Deer). The lifespan of these mammals can range from 12 to 16 years depending on where they live in Africa; those who reside near water tend to live longer.
- The waterbuck is a large African antelope with long and slender legs. It has small eyes and ears but an impressive set of horns reminiscent of deer-like animals in North America. Unlike most other antelopes, the male waterbuck’s horns grow back if broken off. The females’ horns are not as elaborate or decorative as those of males, so their smaller size prevents them from getting caught while running around bushes. A waterbucks’ hair color may change with the seasons: it can be reddish-brown or black during wintertime and then transforms into gray-brown in summer. He spends much more time in the water when he grows his coat again to protect against insects and sunburns.
- The Steenbok is a small to medium-sized Antelope, which can be found in Cape Province and throughout Southern Africa. They are gray-brown with white markings, although some of them have black patches. The males have curved horns that grow from their head and downward, while females only develop these horns after giving birth for the first time – but theirs will curve upward instead of downward to protect their newborns’ heads if predators come around during the birthing time. It’s also sometimes called the African Spotted Antelope because of its cheetah-like spots. They’re medium-sized, with males weighing about 45 pounds (20 kg) on average and females slightly smaller at around 35 pounds (18 kg). Their fur varies from fawn to greyish brown, with black patches down the back and dark rings around their eyes for protection against sun glare. They have white stripes above each eye, too; these are said to help other animals identify it better when taking flight or running away from danger!
- Oribi has a beautiful coat which is commonly mistaken for fawns and deer. However, they are intelligent, agile, and fast runners, with the ability to survive in arid conditions by digging deep into the soil when resources become scarce. The Oribi often produces two litters each year – typically one during winter months (March-April) and the other in early summer (September – October). Thus, the Oribi has a lifespan of ten years or more.
- Pronghorn antelope are also known as “Antilocapridae,” meaning they resemble deer. Some people refer to this animal by its North American name, pronghorn, which is debated whether it should be classed into an African animal because most live in North America. Still, many do migrate back and forth between Africa and North America. They can go at speeds up to 60 km/h!
- The Kudu (or Koodoo) is a large, stocky African animal that lives in the grasslands of southern and eastern Africa. It looks like it has an enormous head with sweeping horns, but its body can be much smaller than other animals.
- You’ll find Oryx living in arid zones or deserts where there isn’t as much vegetation to hide behind, so they have developed ways to camouflage themselves from danger by blending into their environment!
- The Duiker is a small antelope that lives on the African continent. They are often mistaken for deer because of their large eyes, slender build, and long graceful legs. It has greyish-brown fur with white markings on its underparts, throat, and cheek patches.
- Duikers live together in herds consisting of both sexes, with offspring staying until they reach sexual maturity at one year old when they leave to start their herd nearby if possible or travel alone as a solitary male depending upon the availability of females. These animals may inhabit up to 2000 acres but will generally stay within 500 yards from waterholes during dry seasons unless there is heavy rainfall.
- Grant’s Gazelle is a large antelope species that can be found in the savannas of East Africa. It is also known as Somali Gazelle because it lives in Somalia. The males are much larger than females (up to 270 kg or 600 lb). They make high-pitched noises while running away from danger and low grunts when feeding at night. When mating, the female takes care of her offspring by hiding them from predators until they feel safe enough to go into open areas.
- The Dorcas Gazelles are african animals look like deer. However, this Gazelle has brown and white fur, large ears, horns on its head, hooves in paws with sharp claws, and long legs for running fast to escape danger.
- A Red Fronted Gazelle can run at speeds of up to 60km/h. Males lock horns in a battle for dominance, while females defend themselves by kicking the males with their back feet or pulling them down onto their backs (known as “rolling”). The gestation period lasts around 145 days. Usually, only one offspring per female will be born, often hidden from predators beneath bushes near some water source where they spend about six months before they start grazing alone.
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And of course we have antelope and deer art prints in our store! Decorate your home fast, easy, and affordable, with an art print of your favorite animal!
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$20.00 – $29.00 inc. VatSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
$20.00 – $29.00 inc. VatSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
$20.00 – $29.00 inc. VatSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page