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I have read that before the
steenbok defecates or urinates, it will clear a spot, and then cover it up again afterwards by scraping
soil over it with its front hooves.

Do any other antelopes have this behaviour ?

The steenbok is the only antelope that show this behaviour.
Feaces and urine is mixed with soil with the forefoot but not always burried.They have glands between the hooves which are used to mark home ranges and scent may be added when soil is mixed with the dung and urine.

As far as I know it's the only antelope that hides it's feaces like that. Sometimes instead of burying their feaces they defacate on other animals feaces. The smell of their feaces is then camouflaged by the other animals feaces.

pawing and use of middens is common in the "dwarf antelopes" as means of territory marking pawing can occur before/during/after defecation/urination. whether the other species actually cover up i am not sure about.

cheers
mike

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pic of steenbok


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cheers
mike

{Resized by BGS}

Has anyone ever given thought as to why the small antelope species are solitary or inpairs, and as the size scale of the antelope species increaases, so the size of their social groupings also increase - sol steenies, duikers etc are solitary or in pairs, nyalas are up to groups of 5 or 6, kudu up to ten or twelve, sable up to 20 odd, eland up to a hundred and the largest of the bovines, buffalo up to a few hundred?

Well, it is related quite simply to the ratio of the animals surface are to volume. Small antelopes have a large surface area relative to their volume. That means that they lose a lot of body heat from this relatively large surface area. As a result, they have a very high metabolism to maintain a constant body temperature. A high metabolism requires that they eat energy rich foods - fruit, seeds, new shoots etc. These types of food are rare and scattered in a habitat, and living as a group would result in too much competition for food. As a result they live alone or in pairs in a well defended territory. They protect their territory from intruders because food is so scarce. As the size scale of the antelope increases, so the surface area to volume ration reduces. Therefore larger antelopes have lower metabolisms, and require lower energy foods. Lower energy foods such as leaves and grass are more readily available, and as a result the antelope can live in larger groups without competing excessivley for food. Larger groups obviously are a benefit from predators. This trend increases right up to the buffalo (not an antelope, but a bovine nonetheless). The buffalo has a relatively low metabolism which it satisfies with coarse, nutrient poor grass. This type of food is so abundant that the buffalo can live in large herds of several hundred.Also, because there food is so abundant, they do not need to protect it and are therefore not territorial but occupy a range which they will share with other buffalo herds.

More pictures of the Dainty Steenbok




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Another


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Seen on the S90

Crocodile Bridge Area 15/10/2006


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Might be old news, but I see this has been discussed in this topic as well:

We've been told on a night drive that the reason why the steenbok actually buries its urine and dung is because they're very territorial (in a relatively small area). So they have to bury their dung because if the lions/leopards find it, they would become very easy prey as the carnivores would know just to hang around in their territory until they show up.

Steenbokkie

{Resized by BGS}

We saw a steenbokkie pair busy with a "mating dance". The male was was tapping her on her back legs with his fore leg. She started doing a "break dance" jumping all over the place and he just stood and watch, and as soon as she stopped he started tapping again. It was a hilarious and fascinating to watch.