Oreotragus oreotragus
Silhouette: [unknown] · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. The klipspringer is a small, sturdy antelope; it reaches 43–60 centimetres (17–23+1⁄2 inches) at the shoulder and weighs from 8 to 18 kilograms (18 to 40 pounds). The coat of the klipspringer, yellowish gray to reddish brown, acts as an efficient camouflage in its rocky habitat. Unlike most other antelopes, the klipspringer has a thick and coarse coat with hollow, brittle hairs. The horns, short and spiky, typically measure 7.5–9 cm (3–3+1⁄2 in).
Typically nocturnal, the klipspringer rests during the middle of the day and late at night. A gregarious animal, the klipspringer is monogamous to a much greater extent than other antelopes; individuals of opposite sexes exhibit long-term to lifelong pair bonding. The mates tend to stay as close as within 5 m (16 ft) of each other at most times. Males form territories, 7.5–49 hectares (18+1⁄2–121 acres), in which they stay with their partners and offspring. Primarily a browser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers. Gestation lasts around six months, following which a single calf is born; births peak from spring to early summer. The calf leaves its mother when it turns a year old.
The klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. Its range extends from northeastern Sudan, Eritrea, Somaliland and Ethiopia in the east to South Africa in the south, and along coastal Angola and Namibia. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classifies the klipspringer as Least Concern. There are no major threats to the survival of the klipspringer, as its habitat is inaccessible and unfavourable for hunting. Significant numbers occur on private farmlands. As of 2008, nearly 25% of the populations occur in protected areas throughout its range. Wikipedia →
Recording0:06
South Africa · 2025
© dlcastles · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:07
South Africa · 2020
© Matthew Fainman · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Bale Mountains National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 3 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 7 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 8 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | California Academy of Sciences | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Vinpearl Safari | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 4 | Living Desert Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Oakland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Dallas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Brevard Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | ABQ BioPark Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | San Antonio Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Lincoln Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 15 | Frankfurt Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 16 | Valencia Bioparc | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 17 | Staten Island Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Klipspringer sighting in Table Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 223 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 10th most-seen of the 39 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May, July and November–March
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Klipspringer in Table Mountain National Park on a given day, against about 10% in April, June and August–October, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Klipspringer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
8th of 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Klipspringer sightings, Table Mountain National Park ranks 8th at about 10%. The best odds are in Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 50%), Bale Mountains National Park (Ethiopia, about 40%) and Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa, about 30%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Bovidae
The closest relatives of the Klipspringer that you can see in Table Mountain National Park (family Bovidae, Bovids) are Bontebok/Blesbok (about 30%), Common Eland (about 30%) and Himalayan Tahr (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Klipspringer is recorded against all the mammals logged in Table Mountain National Park (223 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
