Cheetah Chatter:
First Roan Antelope Calf Born At Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
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In December 2005, after making the decision to work with the species, Fossil Rim arranged to get four roan antelope from the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, and Safari Enterprises. After a 60-day quarantine, the antelope were moved to a pasture near to the admissions gate where the expecting female gave birth to a male calf in June.

“The herd seems to be doing very well with the addition of a new calf says Fossil Rim’s director of animal care, Kelley Snodgrass. “Unlike with some animals, we didn’t have to separate the cow and calf from the herd. Though we did closely monitor the mother’s feeding habits to ensure the safety of her baby.”

Categorized as conservation dependent, roan antelope rely on conservation efforts to prevent their species from becoming threatened with extinction. Males are typically one-fifth larger and heavier than females. They are a pale, reddish brown or tan color with white under parts. Their skin is thick and tough and both sexes possess stout, heavily ringed horns. When fully grown, roan are quite impressive animals, ranging in weights of 490-600lbs in females, and 530-660lbs for males.

About Roan Antelope:

Typical roan herds consist of three to 15 individuals, comprised of an adult male with females and their young. The mature females of a herd establish a dominant hierarchy among themselves through extensive fighting. The highest-ranking individual initiates most herd movements, even in the presence of the adult male. Young males tend to be driven out by the head bull at about 2 to 2 1/2 years of age and then live in separate groups. If wounded or cornered, roan may become savage, charging and using their horns with amazing speed and dexterity. If not persecuted, these antelopes are not extremely wary, often running a short distance and then stopping to look back. When closely pursued, however, they can run as fast as 57 km/hr with great endurance and may utter a snorting sound before fleeing.

Fun Facts about Roan Antelope:

Ladies First!

Within herds, the more dominant female is typically the leader. There is only one adult male (called a bull) in each herd. The juvenile males are exiled from the herd at about 3 years old.

Dumbo Ears

Roan Antelope’s ears are about the same size as their horns, which is why the first Europeans believed they had four horns.