Antelope

Not a single group but 91 species of horned, hoofed bovids, most of them native to Africa. They are only distantly related to deer: antelope horns are bone covered in keratin, grow steadily and are never shed, unlike antlers.

Quick answers

What is it?Mammal

Carnivore?No, herbivore

Dangerous?No

Domesticated?No

Awake when?Daytime

Hibernates?No

Kept as a pet?No

Do people eat it?Yes

Hunted for meat, and ancient Egyptians kept herds of gazelles and addax for it.

At a glance

Found inAfrica, Asia, Europe

HabitatGrassland

ColoursBrown, Tan, White

SizeMedium

Height24 cm (royal antelope) to 178 cm (eland) at the shoulder

Weight1.5 kg (royal antelope) to almost 950 kg (eland)

Legs4

Covered inFur

Lives inherds

Lives for10–20 years

In the wild

Where it lives

Most of Africa, the Middle East, India, Central Asia and a small area of Russia.

Did you know

Not one animal but around 90 species, and none of them are deer.

The pronghorn, often called the American antelope, belongs to a different family.

Africa has only one living deer species, but 25–40 antelope species share much of East Africa.

Often confused with

• 🐾Gazelle

  Gazelles are one group of antelopes.

  Compare side by side

On these lists

Animals of AfricaAnimals of AsiaAnimals of EuropeGrassland animalsMammalsAnimals people eat

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Antelope

Last reviewed 30 September 2026