Head to head
Steenbok vs Oribi
Steenbok
VS Oribi
The steenbok and oribi are both small African antelope of open grassland and savanna, but their social structure sets them apart in an unusual way.
| Steenbok | Oribi | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Raphicerus campestris | Ourebia ourebi |
| Social structure | Strictly solitary | Small family groups |
| Water dependence | Almost never needs to drink | Drinks when available |
| Notable behaviour | Buries its own dung | Performs a pronking display |
| Signature marking | None comparable | Black scent gland patch below the ear |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable | Decreasing |
| Habitat | Savanna, grassland | Grassland, savanna |
Steenbok vs Oribi: common questions
Which species is more social, the steenbok or the oribi?
The oribi is more social, typically living in small family groups of one male and one or two females, while the steenbok is strictly solitary for most of the year outside the breeding season.
Does the oribi need to drink water like the steenbok does?
The oribi drinks when water is available, unlike the steenbok, which can survive almost entirely without drinking free water by obtaining moisture directly from the plants it eats.
What is the black patch below the oribi's ear, and does the steenbok have one too?
The oribi has a distinctive bare black patch of skin below each ear marking a scent gland, a feature not present on the steenbok, which instead lacks any comparably distinctive facial marking.