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Fast Facts:

It gets its name from the Afrikaans steen (meaning 'brick'): a reference to the overall color of the species.
The steenbok has been known to take refuge from predators in aardvark burrows. The burrows are also used as places for the female to breed. They can also serve as a type of nursery for the baby until it is able to fend for itself.

Steenbok

Scientific Name	Raphicerus campestris
Classification	Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Artiodactyla, Family: Bovidae
Status	Stable
Range	South Africa, as well as Tanzania, south Kenya and Mozambique.
Habitat	flat, open country, grassy or lightly wooded, and avoids mountain slopes and desert areas. Cover is essential.
Diet	The steenbok is a herbivore, feeding on the leaves of bushes and most grasses.
Size	Shoulder height 52 cm Weight: 11 kg
Lifespan	17 yrs.
Location
Print Fact Sheet	Steenbok

Culture

The steenbok is a vital source of food for the famous bushmen of the Kalahari Desert. Despite this, however, the bushmen hold the steenbok in high regard. Many times the bushmen have observed the animal standing without fear as men blasted rifle shots in it's direction, to nonchalantly wander out of gun shot range when it gets the urge to do so. It is this fearlessness, along with the grace and agility of the steenbok that has won this incredible animal the respect that it so richly deserves among the of African people.

Special Features

The steenbok is that before it defecates or urinates, it will first clear a spot with its front hooves and then, afterwards, cover over the contents by scraping soil over the spot. This marks the steenbok as the only bovine to scrape the ground before urinating.
It is preyed on by all of the African big cats, as well as baboons and other large monkeys. The martial eagle is yet another feared predator. However, some steenbok have been recorded to feed on meat by killing young ground birds. This would be very rare, however, done during a time of hardship.

Behavior

The male will not use his horns to ward off predators. If an attacker approaches, the steenbok will lie flat in the grass. He will keep his large ears folded back. He will stay frozen in such a position until the predator is almost within reach. Then he will jump to his feet and run as fast as he can. Every now and again he will look back to see how close his pursuer has gotten.