What would you call a mammal that walks on four legs, eats vegetation and has a pair of protrusions coming out their head. A deer? Try again! It could just as easily be an antelope. Antelopes have more or less similar physical characteristics found in a deer, but biologically, the two are worlds apart. So when you spot an animal as described above, think again – is it truly a deer or could it be an antelope?
While most mistakenly club both under one category, these mammals are scientifically classified independently. Both antelopes and deer belong to the same order Artiodactyla and the same suborder Ruminantia. However, despite both being ungulates, meaning hoofed animals, they have different families — antelopes belonging to Bovidae, related to cattle, sheep, and goats while deer, on the other hand, are associated with a family called Cervidae. As many as 43 species of deer and over 90 antelope species are known to exist today.
Here’s more to knock on your mind’s doors. You may know Disney’s beloved animated character Bambi, who has big eyes and spots of white on his back. Bambi is portrayed as an infant white-tailed deer that shaped how many people imagine a deer. In the original novel by Felix Salten, however, Bambi is actually a roe deer, one of the smallest deer species native to Europe rather than North America. White-tailed deer are named for the white under their tails, which is missing in roe deer. The spotted fur perhaps fits in for the film as baby roe deer do have white spots which fade as they reach adulthood.
If you’ve come across the word “gazelle”, it’s a smaller species of antelope, and often stands as a motif in Arabic poetry to compare beauty and elegance. There’s also an animated series that features this animal. Swala is an adult female gazelle in The Lion Guard, a spin-off of The Lion King. Bupu, in the same series, is an adult male sable antelope. And here’s a fun fact: All gazelles are antelopes, but not all antelopes are gazelles. Swala therefore is an antelope, but Bupu, the sable antelope, isn’t a gazelle. And both are definitely not deer.
Now, imagine you’re on a safari, and you see a herd of even-toed ungulates foraging, how will you recognise exactly which of the two species your eyes are seeing? There are very distinct physical differences between deer and antelopes, and we only need knowledge and a sharp eye to catch them. The most prominent feature to watch out for is if their head is equipped with horns or antlers.
Antelopes have horns, while deer have antlers. Horns are made out of an internal live bone that is layered with a keratin sheath. The same keratin that our own nails are made out of! Antlers are made entirely from bone and as they grow, they become forked, like the branches of a tree. Antlers shed and can regrow every year, whereas horns are permanent structures. Both headgears have biological functions, such as fighting for an individual territory, fending off predators and also to attract mates.
Another detail to be noted about antelopes is that both the sexes, male and female, have horns. In deer, except for the reindeer, only the males have antlers. So, if in the herd of the ungulates, every individual has a headgear, you are in all likelihood looking at a herd of antelopes.
Another remarkable difference between the two ungulates is that a deer’s speed is limited to energy sprints, while antelopes are up for a longer run. When it comes to predators, antelopes run faster at length to survive. Antelopes have a larger heart and lungs than deer, which help them take prolonged runs.
Next, let us compare the sizes of antelopes and deer. The larger ones between the two are antelopes. However, it is important to note that not all deer species are small — the biggest deer on planet Earth are moose (that’s right!) that are native to the colder regions in Canada. In India, sambar deer are the largest known deer species to be found in Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka and many other states. It can grow up to 5.2 feet in shoulder height, and males can have antlers exceeding the length of 40 inches! The widely distributed nilgai is Asia’s largest antelope, and stands at a height of 5 feet.
Looking at the smallest of antelopes, the four-horned antelope, more commonly known as the chausingha, tops the list in India, being around two feet tall. When it comes to naming the smallest deer found in the country, what often misleads most is the mouse deer. It is a tiny ungulate, and looks exactly like a deer, but scientists know that it is neither a rodent, nor one belonging to the same taxonomical family as the deer. A small deer is the Indian muntjac, some of which manage to touch two feet in height.
Antelopes are only found on three continents: Asia, Europe and Africa. Deer are found anywhere and everywhere, except in Antarctica and Australia. Now you must be wondering, do some deer and antelope species share the same habitat? Yes, especially in India and Nepal, where both ungulate species are in abundance and co-exist peacefully. The Chitwan National Park located in Nepal hosts four species of deer and three species of antelopes!
Both species are herbivores but surprisingly, the diet of antelopes is different from deer. Deer indulge in an assortment of nuts, fruits, buds and barks. Antelopes mainly graze grass and sometimes, munch on fallen leaves.
Now when you spot graceful ungulates in the wild or around crop fields, we are sure you are in a better position to identify if they are antelopes or deer. A keen eye on distinguishing between horns and antlers and the knowledge about where deer and antelope species are found are nothing short of wealth that you can readily share among friends and family.
Feature Image: Atharva Pacharne/Wildlife SOS
