h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I love the elaborate pattern on the ears. I think it is cool that there is such a diversity of antelopes in Africa. It shows how many different niches there are there. These little ones are so cute it makes our deer species look big and clunky in comparison. At least these little guys probably don't cause the damage to vehicles that they do here in Pennsylvania.

Hi Elektra! I'm happy you like this little antelope. Africa is indeed very diverse in niches and landscape types. It stretches from the tropics into more temperate zones both in the north and in the south; it has several disconnected mountain regions; it has two of the world's greatest rivers; it has several large and sometimes ancient lakes; it has the volcanic Rift Valley and a number of huge volcanic mountains, including some that are still active; it has several deserts, the Namib being extremely ancient; it has the great savannah plains, with disconnections from intervening areas of forest or desert; it is a quite stable continent, not having suffered glaciations for many millions of years. Our plant life also has an ancient pedigree and vast diversity, so the critters feeding on it become diverse also.

I don't think these shy little antelopes ever get hit by cars! At least here in South Africa the places where they live have very low traffic.