Klipspringer peaking out from in between large kopje boulders.

Klipspringer

Pint-sized rock hoppers
Type
giant panda

Mammals

Area
Map of Africa
Africa
Endangered Status

Stable

facts

size
20
inches tall, at shoulder
An average soccer ball is 8.65 inches tall.
Klipspringer standing next to an average sized soccer ball
food
leaves,
flowers, fruit, and lichens
herbivore
herbivore
habitat
kopje,
mountains, and rocky terrain
mountain habitat

description

Klipspringer hooves balanced on rock.

Tiny hooves hold tight

Weighing just 22 to 40 pounds and standing only about 20 inches tall at the shoulder, the klipspringer is an extremely small African antelope species. But with four hooves—each about as big around as a dime—this pint-sized rock hopper can jump onto a spot the size of an Oreo cookie. Its little feet are specially made for staying put on rocky surfaces, almost like suction cups.

Close-up of a klipspringer's face, displaying the large dark glands under its eyes.

Give a little whistle

Klipspringers communicate with each other with whistles when they spot signs of danger, such as a potential predator. They also use scent—from glands near their eyes, and from poop—to communicate with outsiders and mark their territory. 

Baby klipspringer perched on a boulder.

Jump to it

A klipspringer can jump 10 to 12 feet straight up into the air, and then land securely on its tiny hooves. They are excellent rock climbers, too.