Oribi
Scientific name: Ourebia ourebi
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
Small, delicate antelope with a tawny to reddish-brown coat and white underparts. Males carry short, straight horns; females are hornless. Notable bare patch of dark skin below each ear.
Size and weight
Males 12–16 kg, females 12–15 kg; body length 60–67 cm.
Habitat
Oribi favour open grasslands, vleis, and lightly wooded savanna on gentle slopes. They prefer areas with short grass, often near water, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m.
Distribution
Found across sub-Saharan Africa in fragmented populations, from West Africa to South Africa. Occupies grasslands and light woodland savanna.
Diet
Grazes on short, fresh grass; in dry season shifts to leaves, shoots, and fallen fruit.
Behaviour
Diurnal and crepuscular; solitary or in pairs, highly territorial. Males mark territory with dung middens and scent glands; they are swift and alert, bounding away with a distinctive high-stepping trot.
Hunting tips
Look for small, neat dung clusters on slight mounds—territorial markers. Approach is difficult; use dawn and dusk light, moving slowly downwind across open ground. Track the high-stepping prints and watch for the white rump flash when alarmed; stalk from behind natural cover and prepare for short-range work.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 10 countries in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.