Karoo farm road

When travelling an obscure Karoo byway this is the moment when everybody in the car shouts simultaneously and animatedly while nobody hears anything. And if there are children, this is the moment when a cold drink gets spilled or binoculars are dropped.

Klipspringer is an exciting sighting at any time for livening up a trip, albeit not specifically a game-viewing one. To see the little couple together at such close quarters makes for the peak experience of many a day.

They tiptoe effortlessly across montane surroundings among and on top of rocks with great agility. This is their preferred terrain and scent-marking of family (or solitary) territory is maintained. Only the male has horns.

Klipspringer browse leaves of shrubs and trees and may even stand up against branches to reach the better bits. Grasses also fit into their diet and peckish ones may be found grazing on a moonlit night by the seasoned spotter (Riëtte, 2016).