Trivia
question: What's the largest antelope species? (answer at bottom)
A. Eland
B. Giant kudu
C. Sable
D. Gerenuk
E. Gemsbok (beisa oryx)
The answer is A. The eland weighs in at 1300 to 2000 pounds.
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The gerenuk was close to the top of my list of animals that I
really wanted to see in Kenya. This slender, long-legged and long-necked antelope is
superbly adapted for survival in semi-arid climates. Its body metabolism conserves
water so efficiently that it almost never needs to take a drink. It gets the
moisture that it needs from the vegetation that it eats. It easily stands on its
hind legs and browses amid the thorns on an acacia tree, selectively nipping off the
fresh, green leaves. The front legs rest gently on the branches for balance. Trivia
question: What's the largest antelope species? (answer at bottom)
The answer is A. The eland weighs in at 1300 to 2000 pounds. |