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Royal Antelope




  Name Royal Antelope
  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Mammal ia
  Ordo Artiodactyla
  Familia Bovidae
  Genus '' Neotragus ''
  Species '''''N pygmaeus'''''
  Binomial ''Neotragus pygmaeus''
  Binomial Authority L , 1758


The Royal Antelope (''Neotragus pygmaeus'') is a very small West Africa n Antelope , only 25-30 cm tall, and the smallest of all antelopes. It is light brown in colour, with a paler underbelly and slightly darker head and flanks. The male has small, spike-like horns, about 1 inch long.

Royal Antelopes live in dense forests in West Africa , feeding on leaves and fruit in the undergrowth. They are mostly nocturnal and are very shy, reputedly able to leap 2.5 metres in one bound if disturbed. They are not gregarious, living on their own or occasionally in pairs.

This shy and poorly known antelope is listed as endangered.