Pelea capreolus (Forster, 1790)

Common Name and Classification

Pelea capreolus, commonly known as the grey rhebok, is a medium-sized antelope.

Adult Weight and Body Features

Adults weigh between 19 and 30 kilograms (42 to 66 pounds), with a long neck and narrow ears.

Coat Coloration

Their short, dense coat comes in various shades of grey.

Male Horn Characteristics

Only males have horns, which are straight, sharp, ringed at the base, and measure around 15 to 25 centimetres (5.9 to 9.8 inches) long.

Core Distribution and Habitat

Grey rheboks are generally restricted to higher elevation areas of Southern Africa, and most occupy grassy montane habitats such as sourveld, typically at 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) or more above sea level.

High Elevation Adaptation

Their thick woolly grey coat insulates them against cold temperatures in these high elevations.

Alternative Habitat Range

However, they are not strictly limited to this habitat, and can also be found in the Cape coastal belt at almost sea level.

Territorial Behavior

Grey rheboks are territorial animals.

Territory Maintenance Methods

They maintain their territories through urinating and defecating, holding an upright posture when standing or walking, and regular patrols.

Breeding Season Aggression

Males become extremely aggressive during the breeding season.

Breeding System and Herd Structure

This species is a seasonal breeder, and forms herds that usually contain 1 to 15 females and juveniles plus one mature male, making it a polygynous species.

Feeding Type and Water Acquisition

The grey rhebok is a browser, and it gets most of the water it needs from the food it eats.

Habitat Access Benefit

This allows it to use food sources located far from permanent standing water.