Deer and Antelope — Reading Comprehension Lesson

Reading Passage

Deer and Antelope — Reading Comprehension Lesson

Deer and antelope are hoofed mammals that are often confused with each other, but they belong to different animal families. Deer belong to the family Cervidae and are found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Antelope belong to the family Bovidae, along with cattle, goats, and sheep, and are found mainly in Africa and Asia. One key difference is that deer grow antlers — bony structures shed and regrown each year — while antelope grow permanent horns made of bone covered with keratin.

White-tailed deer are the most common deer in North America. They are found from Canada through Central America in forests, fields, and suburban areas. Deer are browsers, feeding on leaves, twigs, bark, and fruit rather than grass. Males, called bucks, grow antlers each summer to use during the autumn mating season. After the rut, antlers are shed and the cycle begins again. Females, called does, raise spotted fawns that can walk within hours of birth.

Antelope are among the fastest land animals on Earth. The pronghorn of North America, sometimes called an antelope, can sustain speeds of 55 miles per hour — faster than any other land animal in the Western Hemisphere. In Africa, the springbok and impala are famous for “pronking” — leaping high into the air, possibly to display fitness or to confuse predators. Antelope typically live in open grasslands and savannas where speed is their primary defense.

Both deer and antelope are herbivores and important prey animals. They support predators such as wolves, mountain lions, cheetahs, and lions. Many species form herds for protection, using group alertness to detect danger. White-tailed deer populations have grown dramatically in North America due to the loss of natural predators, leading to overgrazing and vehicle collisions in suburban areas.

Printable Worksheet

More Deer and Antelope Worksheets