Pretty much all ungulates are sporting some kind of head gear. But as their family tree branches out, the differences become clear: Deer, elk, moose, and other Cervidae have antlers; while Bovidae like antelope, buffalo and other cattle have horns.
Antelope horns come in all shapes and sizes, from elaborate curves and coils to long, pointed spears and tiny stubs. The most impressive belong to the markhor: these mountain goats have horns like enormous corkscrews, which can grow up to 160 cm (63 in) in the males, and up to 25 cm (10 in) in females.
And that’s another key difference between deer and antelopes: Unlike deer, where only the males grow antlers, horns can be seen in the females of around two-thirds of all antelope species.
3. Size comparison
So who’s the biggest? When it comes to physical appearance, antelope vary greatly in size. Some of the largest, like a male common eland, can be 180 cm at the shoulder and weigh nearly a ton (2,000 lbs.). At the other end of the spectrum, the diminutive royal antelope is only 24 cm tall and weighs about as much as a pineapple.
Deer, on the other hand (or hoof), can be huge. The biggest is the moose, which stands a massive 2.6 meters (8 ft 6 in) tall and can weigh up to 800 kg. To sum up, there’s plenty of size variation in both families, but the biggest of all belongs to the antelopes.
4. Habitat
Antelopes are native to Africa and Eurasia, where some species roam the grassy plains on huge migrations in search of food. Deer can be found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia and live in a range of habitats, from tundra to tropical rainforest. They tend to have a more varied diet, eating nuts, fruits, wild soybeans, corn, buds and bark, whereas antelope graze more exclusively on grass, with occasional nibbles of tree shoots, fallen leaves, and juicy plants.
5. Speed
Wherever they live and whatever they eat, deer and antelopes are likely to be on the menu for large predators. When your species has spent millions of years and countless generations escaping lions, cheetahs, and bears, this makes you pretty fast. Antelopes can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, and run over long distances. Deer can clock speeds of around 35 miles per hour, but can only do so in short bursts. Both groups’ running abilities reflect their surroundings and the power of their predators.
Deer conservation in RER
One of the many species recorded in RER is the sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), known in Indonesia as ‘Rusa sambar’. Like most deer, the males of this species grow large antlers for the rutting season. Adults can be 160 cm (63 in) tall and weigh as much as 546 kg (1,204 lbs.). Sambar deer prefer the dense cover of forests, deciduous shrublands and grasses, and generally like to be close to water, where they feel safe from predators. Their home ranges are wide, spanning 1,500 hectares for males and 300 for females.
