Antelopes are a diverse group of typically hollow-horned, slender-built, and swift bovids native to Africa and Asia. The antelope of the world are generally characterized by a light, elegant figure, graceful limbs, small cloven hoofs, a short tail, and large and unbranched horns, which may be spiral-shaped. Antelope species do not form a taxonomic group but are spread throughout the subfamilies of the Bovidae family (bovids); many are more closely related to buffalo and wild cattle of the world or goats than to each other.
There are over 80 species of African antelope (also referred to as plains game species), ranging in size from the Royal antelope, which as a member of the Tiny Ten weighs about eight pounds, to the giant eland, a spiral horned antelope which weighs up to a ton.
Some of the more popular plains game species are: Blesbok; Bongo; Bontebok; Bushbuck; Dik Dik; Duiker; Eland; Gazelle; Gemsbok; Gerenuk; Grysbok; Hartebeest; Impala; Klipspringer; Kudu; Lechwe; Nyala; Oribi; Oryx; Reedbuck; Roan; Sable; Sitatunga; Springbok; Steenbok; Suni; Topi; Tsessebe; Waterbuck; and Wildebeest.
There are 14 species of antelope native to Asia, all but three of which are classified as gazelles: Arabian Oryx; Blackbuck; Chinkara; Four-horned Antelope (Chousingha); Goitered Gazelle; Nilgai; Mongolian Gazelle; Mountain Gazelle; Przewalski’s Gazelle; Saiga Antelope; Saudi Gazelle; Tibetan Antelope; Tibetan Gazelle; and Queen of Sheba’s Gazelle.
The blackbuck antelope is native to and found mainly in India. Formerly widespread, only small, scattered herds are seen today in its native range. Blackbuck have been introduced in Argentina and the United States where they are popular with hunters.
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The Chinkara or Indian Gazelle is Native to India, Pakistan, and Iran. This species of Asian antelope is smaller with a distinctive reddish coat and white underparts. Males have lyre-shaped horns. Hunting Chinkara requires navigating through varied terrains from deserts to scrublands.
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The nilgai has been associated with Indian culture since the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE). Hindus revere the nilgai as sacred and associate it with the cow, the mother animal in Hinduism, through its name and loosely similar physical features. The largest antelope of Asia, it has been introduced to Texas and is a popular game animal there.
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