Four-Horned Antelope

(Tetracerus quadricornis), a ruminant of the family Bovidae. The four-horned antelope is a small, slender animal, with a body length reaching 1 m and a tail length of 10–15 cm. It weighs 15–25 kg. The antelope is the only member of the family Bovidae whose male has four horns—two slightly curved rear horns measuring 8–10 cm long and two straight front horns measuring 2.5–4 cm long. The females are hornless. The body is cinnamon brown, with lighter underparts. The legs are white on the inside; the edges of the snout and the outside of the ears are black.

The four-horned antelope is distributed in India, where it is found in sparse forests and near reservoirs. It lives secretively, in pairs or singly. The diet consists of grass and leafy shrubs. Mating occurs in August, and one to three young are born in January or February. The animal is hunted for its valuable horns.