Klipspringer Resting on the Shetani Lava Flow

Klipspringers are little antelope that hang out in rocky terrain. They’re mostly nocturnal, and this guy was resting on the lava rock of Kenya’s Shetani Lava Flow in Tsavo West National Park. The lava flow covers 50 square kilometers and was formed about 500 years ago. His little devil horns are fitting as Shetani is Swahili for “Devil” (same root as ‘satan’ for the etymologists out there). But, the most intriguing thing about the klipspringer that you can see in this picture, are its hooves. Klipspringer means “Rock Jumper” in Afrikaans/Dutch and their hooves have evolved to grip rocks like little rubber suction cups. For scale, the tips of the hooves are about the size of a dime. You can see the suction cup shape if you look closely. They can jump 12 feet and land on a spot the size of a silver dollar – probably the Eisenhower version (38mm), not the Susan B. Anthony version (27mm) (neither of which had any silver in circulation, but I digress).

They also have hollow fur – hence the coarse grizzled look – that is highly insulating for the hot days and cold nights that characterize their habitat.

Photographed in Tsavo West National Park with my @nikonusa #nikonZ9 and #nikkorz100400mmf4556vrs