What are the most beautiful ungulate species in your opinion ?

My favourite ungulates are the following:

1. Chevrotains / mouse deer - I think the Chevrotains have to be the most beautiful of all of the ungulates to me. They are gorgeous creatures with their diminutive size, the large eyes, that dark fur and the contrasting markings of cream coloured spots or stripes. I'm particularly fascinated by the Philippine mouse deer due to its conservation status. I don't think I've ever seen a live chevrotain (only taxidermy specimens in natural history museums) but I would dearly like to see one in a zoo or the wild one day.

2. Southern pudu - These little deer are more "cute" than beautiful but I think they are endearing / adorable due to their tiny size and chestnut brown fur. Also of conservation concern ("Near threatened" currently) which does add to their appeal to me. I've seen this species in zoos but i would like to see it in its natural habitat in Chile one day.

3. Marsh deer - I think this is for me the most visually beautiful of the cervidae with that striking reddish / orange / tawny coloured fur and the black "socks". Also an IUCN "vulnerable species" due to the threats posed against it which are mounting here in Brazil. I've seen this species in zoos but I would like to see it here in Brazil in its natural habitat one day.

4. Tapir - Any of the four tapir species interest me and I find all of them to be quite beautiful in a strange prehistoric primeval sort of way as they look like they belong in an earlier epoch like the Eocene. I've seen the Baird's and lowland tapirs in the wild (and captivity), I've seen the Malayan tapir in zoos and unfortunately I have seen the mountain tapir in neither. I think the Malayan tapir is perhaps the most beautiful species that I've seen but I'm sure I might change my mind if I ever see a mountain tapir. The conservation status of all four of these species is concerning and also of interest to me.

5. Zebra duiker - I think for the reasons I've given in the comment above this one in that they are small (I tend to prefer the smaller species across the board) and the markings are just so spectacularly reminiscent of the thylacine and beautiful. Also of conservation concern which is another factor which increases my interest.

Honourable mentions: The Sumatran rhino, the okapi, the wisent, the pampas deer, red brocket deer, Prezewalski's wild horse and the barbirusa (weird choice I know but I do find them quite fascinating).

 

I really can’t identify a favourite ungulate......Mouse Deer (I’ve worked with them briefly) are lovely, their babies are unbelievably tiny. Blackbuck are beautiful, and sadly reduced in their native range. So these two would be high on my list.
As would all cattle, Equids, rhinoceroses, just about everything else.
Black Wildebeest are totally weird, characterful and awesome.

 

I don't think I could pick a favorite, but I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned the Royal Antelope.

 

Im pretty surprised too. it wasn't my favorite, but I assumed that would be a lot of other zoochatters lists. I mean, they are called the royal antelope for a reason.

 

That was my short list

 

I didn't put them on mine because I feel they qualify more as "cute" than "beautiful"

 

Tbh I’ve only seen one stuffed. Many of the species I like because they’ve played a role in my life, like the Black Wildebeest I saw daily over a two year period.

 

Thank you for your reply @FBBird !

On the subject of mouse deer (which are currently a big interest of mine) I have to ask you some questions that I'm curious about.

What are these animals like to work with ?

What species in particular did you work with ?

 

I'm glad you mentioned these though as they are a fascinating little species and very unusual given their tiny size and several other aspects like their monogamy.

This is a species I need to read much more about at some point as I only know scant information about them.

 

Yes, but from that list try and pick a species or a couple that you find more interesting or visually beautiful.

 

The quintessence of elegance is the Grant's gazelle. Far more beautiful than all other gazelle species.

If we attend by colours, I think bongo is the winner.

But maybe this is a matter of a thing hidden in full sight: an animal so extremely overknown by everybody, that people don't repair in that is the most perfect combination of grace and beauty: The giraffe!

 

Thank you for your post @Kakapo !

Well, its your opinion about the Grant's gazelle and I'm sure it is one held by many, I wouldn't call it the most beautiful (I find the Dorcas gazelle far more) but afterall this is what this thread is about and it is all subjective, there are no wrong or right answers.

I think the bongo is beautiful indeed and I also agree with you about the giraffe. In fact I think I've become so used to seeing the ubiquity of giraffe at zoos (and my dislike of the whole African megafauna thing) that I think I often underappreciated them and just what an evolutionary marvel they are.

Actually, about a year ago I watched a British documentary on youtube about a dissection of a giraffe and strangely enough watching the explanation of their anatomy I found myself both fascinated and realizing that I had lost appreciation for this animal. I'll post a clip below as I think you might find it interesting too :

 

As a hoofstock keeper, this is both very thought-provoking and painful question to answer! I have a soft-spot for all ungulates, I do, and of course, I have a special fondness for species I’ve worked with and other species that I dream of working with. I’ve thought a lot about this, but I’ve decided to go with my gut. Of these five species, I have had the honor and pleasure of working with four of them (only missing the giant eland, which, unfortunately, will likely stay that way). Without further ado, in alphabetical order:

-Bongo
-Giant eland
-Giraffe *
-Greater kudu
-Okapi

*(I’m not sure I can pick a specific species/subspecies— I’d say, again in alphabetical order, Kordofan, Masai, reticulated, and West African stand out the most to me, personally.)

 

Thank you for your reply @Kudu21 !

It is really great to hear from a hoofstock keeper with direct experience of these animals so once again thank you for writing this comment.

That is a great list and I have to ask you what is it like to work with the Okapi and the Bongo ?

Is the Okapi really so sensitive as it is reputed to be ? Are bongo really as placid as they look ?

 

Well, of course-- I couldn't avoid commenting!

Okapi and bongo are two of my favorite animals that I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

Okapi are such interesting creatures. They're absolutely beautiful, so unique in biology and behavior, and have wonderful personalities. While yes, they are quite sensitive animals-- they are prone to startle from loud noises and the unfamiliar (situations, objects, people, etc.), they have a very finnicky diet, and breeding them is not an easy feat, they are also some of the most tractable hoofstock. Four out of five of our okapi are worked free-contact (the fifth is not because he was partially hand-raised and is too imprinted on people to the point that it can be dangerous from his over excitement), readily approach keepers, and truly enjoy tactile reinforcement. You just have to be very perceptive of them and their behavior and move around and interact with them with care and consideration. They are a lot like more skittish, velvety-oily, horses? If that makes much sense.

Bongo are generally even more even-keeled than okapi are. Our entire herd is worked free-contact. They are usually less skittish (I've worked with a couple of more skittish individuals but nothing the likes of most other antelope) and quite confident in nature, but not usually aggressive like some other more confident antelope, like sable. Not much bothers them, even the males (one male bongo that I worked with was probably one of the best animals I have ever worked with!) We have one female who can be a little pushy and will test you, but it's not unlike working with domestic beef cattle. You can easily walk amongst them as long as you have your head on your shoulders. Most I have worked with a very friendly, enjoy engaging with their keepers for food and tactile reinforcement, and are very intelligent.

 

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Well it is really great to read such a comprehensive and personal reply about these animals and your affection for them is clearly very strong.

I found your account of the hand raised okapi to be really entertaining and endearing (I was imagining an adult okapi behaving like a labrador ). I also love that you describe them as "velvety-oilly horses" (I would say that would be an apt description for tapirs too) as it does make a lot of sense in terms of what you have said about their temperaments.

I find the okapi to be fascinating and it is one of the most interesting of the larger ungulates in my opinion. While I haven't had any direct experience I've had the pleasure of watching them in captivity at the London zoo and they just seem so sensitive, mysterious and inscrutable.

I've read a bit of the earlier literature about their discovery and the effort that went into their "collection" etc so this might have influenced why I find them so mysterious. That said, thanks to research we are discovering more and more about these animals and we now know that they communicate with infrasound.

I was wondering whether you have ever seen any behaviours with your captive okapi relating to this sort of communication ?

 

I don't know how I could pick, but I'll give it my best shot:

Sable Antelope
Cape Buffalo
Przewalski's Horse/Grant's Zebra
Indian Greater One Horned Rhino
Okapi

 

Great list @LowlandGorilla4 !

Some have come up before on other lists so I'll focus on those that haven't yet.

Why the Cape buffalo and Indian one horned rhino ?

 

The Cape buffalo is just, I don't know, so cool. Their size and appearance is just so impressive and their dangerous reputation is quite alluring (to an extent ).

The Indian one horned rhino is (from what I've heard) more docile than their African counterparts, but I really don't know why they appeal to me so much.

 

The Indian rhino is an incredible looking animal, so prehistoric and primeval looking I agree.

I find the Cape buffalo quite an intimidating animal given their aggressive reputation and huge size and bulk.