Oribi

Oribis are small and swift African antelopes that inhabit Africa’s northern and southern savannas. These antelopes are long-limbed and long-necked and live in pairs or small herds.

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Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Genus:	Ourebia
Scientific Name:	Ourebia ourebia

Table Of Content

Table of Contents

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Genus:	Ourebia
Scientific Name:	Ourebia ourebia

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They are easily identified by a circular patch of black skin below the ear – which is actually a scent gland. Another distinctive feature is the clump of black hair on the tip of their short tail.

Sub-Species

There are 13 sub-species of Oribi:

Ourebia ourebi aequatoria
Ourebia ourebi cottoni
Ourebia ourebi dorcas
Ourebia ourebi gallarum
Ourebia ourebi goslingi
Ourebia ourebi haggardi
Ourebia ourebi hastata
Ourebia ourebi kenyae
Ourebia ourebi montana
Ourebia ourebi ourebi
Ourebia ourebi quadriscopa
Ourebia ourebi rutila
Ourebia ourebi ugandae
Oribi

Physical Description

Height: The Oribi grows to a height of 90-110cm.

Weight: Their average weight is around 12-22kg.

Body Color: The upper chest and the back portion of their body is yellow to orange-brown in color. Their stomach is white and the backside side is brown in color.

Horns: Males have horns stretching to a length of 19 cm

Fur: Oribis have white crescent-shaped fur above the eye, which is one of their primary identification marks.

Tail: The tail is shaggy and short.

Habitat

They mainly inhabit open grasslands and thinly bushed country. Oribis prefer open plains and montane grasslands, and are mostly seen in areas with small grasses on which they graze and taller grass which obscures them from their predators.

Distribution

Oribis are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Their distribution range is quite wide from Senegal to Somalia and Ethiopia. They are also widely seen in eastern Kenya, Angola, Zimbabwe and the eastern part of South Africa.

Behavior

They are territorial in nature.
Oribis are mostly active in the morning, evening and late afternoon.
When threatened, they produce a high-pitched whistle.
They can go without water for several days.
To maintain their social bonds, they regularly perform a dunging ceremony
Oribi Picture

Diet

Mainly grazers, oribis prefer eating short grasses but also search for leaves, young shoots and foliage in the dry season. They are often spotted in the scorched areas after veld fires coming back to the areas to eat the fresh grass shoots.

Oribi’s also use mineral licks that acts as a supplement to their diet. They are not at all dependent on free surface water. But they are dependent on tall grass for cover and food.

Predators

Oribi’s are often attacked by predators like lions, leopards, African wild dogs, crocodiles, jackals, and pythons. The young ones can be attacked by eagles and genets, and several other smaller carnivores.

Adaptation

Their light body color helps them camouflages from their predators.
Male horns play a significant role in defense from other males and predators.
Oribis can live without water for a long time.
Secretions from their pre-orbital glands help individuals identify their territory.

Mating Season

Their mating season starts from August and lasts till December. Their breeding season is different in different parts of Africa: In Zimbabwe it occurs between August and November; in South Africa it occurs between November to December.

Reproduction

Oribis are seasonal breeders. Males can mate with all females who share their territories. After the gestation period only a single offspring is born. For the first 4-5 weeks, the mother oribi will hide its young one under thick grass where they lie motionless. The mother returns after some days to suckle her offspring.