Wild South Africa
Kruger National Park

......shining in the winter late-afternoon sun.

Tags:   Leon Molenaar South Africa Limpopo Province Phalaborwa Kruger National Park, South Africa Wildlife Nature Reserve Wilderness Wild Life Nature Wild Animals Natural Habitat Nature Reserve Impala Antelope Mammal

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Klipspringers are a small antelope species, standing 20 inches at the shoulder and weighing 40 or fewer pounds. They are often gray, brown, yellow, or olive green in color, with hollow hairs. Klipspringers have scent glands in front of their eyes that excrete a gooey substance they use to mark territory. On their legs, the last joint is rotated so these sturdy little antelopes walk on the tips of their hooves. These hooves are the size of a dime and have a slight suction-cup effect. The klipspringer name is derived from the words for “cliff-jumper” in Afrikaans.

These animals spend their days on rocky terrain in arid environments like kopjes, up to 13,000 feet above sea level. They are most active in early morning and late afternoon, resting during the hottest parts of the day. Although very agile, klipspringers remain completely still for long periods of time—probably watching for predators.

Klipspringers are mostly solitary and form monogamous pairs that may include one young offspring. Breeding differs in the up to 11 subspecies of klipspringers; some have strong courtships and breed seasonally, while others wait for favorable conditions. They do not build nests or dens, but following birth after a gestation of six months, young klipspringers stay hidden for the first few months of life.

In general, populations of klipspringers are stable; around 25 percent of their range falls within protected areas, and their mountainous habitats are not considered valuable to humans. However, some subpopulations may be decreasing.

Tags:   Leon Molenaar South Africa Limpopo Province Kruger National Park, South Africa Wildlife Nature Reserve Wilderness Wild Animals Nature Nature Reserve Natural Habitat Klipspringer Mammal Antelope

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Wild South Africa
Kruger National Park

Tags:   Leon Molenaar Kruger National Park Wildlife Nature Reserve South Africa Nature Wild Life Wilderness Wild Animals Natural Habitat Bird Double-banded Sandgrouse

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Wild South Africa
Kruger National Park

Tags:   Leon Molenaar Kruger National Park, South Africa Wildlife Nature Reserve Wilderness Wild Life Wild Animals Nature Natural Habitat Nature Reserve Lilac Breasted Roller Bird coth5 Sunrays+5

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Wild South Africa
Kruger National Park

Tags:   Leon Molenaar South Africa Kruger National Park, South Africa Wildlife Nature Reserve Wilderness Wild Animal Wild Life Nature Nature Reserve Natural Habitat African Elephant Mammal

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