Digital Safari: A unique 'role reversal' in the world of topis

Editor's note: For an entire month starting August 17, CGTN has brought this year's Great Wildebeest Migration to your living room with our new series "Digital Safari." Let's jump onboard and get to know more about these amazing wild animals and the wonderful nature.

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The topi, one of the swiftest antelopes in Africa, can reach speeds of close to 50 mph. Therefore, they are not an easy catch for their major "enemies" including spotted hyenas, lions and jackals. But what's more interesting is their social structure and behaviors. In the wild animal world, males are always found being competitive and more aggressive than females. They are usually willing to do anything to win the females' "hearts." However, it's a totally different story for topis.

The topi is found in the savannas, semi-deserts, and floodplains of sub-Saharan Africa. /VCG

Topis can run really fast, 50 mph. /VCG

Topis are highly sociable. /VCG

The topi's "enemies" include spotted hyenas, lions, jackals and cheetahs.

A topi in trouble. /VCG

A topi is attacked in water. /VCG

Female topis are fertile for only a day out of a year, so they are often seen competing with one another for the opposite sex to ensure that they become pregnant. The topi antelopes only gather once a year for mating. So instead of being resistant, female topis can get really aggressive when looking for a mate. They even attack other mating pairs.

On the contrast, the male topis are very choosy. They like to mate with multiple females, especially with the novel ones. So sometimes male topis turn aggressive towards pushy females with whom they have already mated, so they can keep energy for mating with new ones.

Topis fighting with their ringed and lyrate shaped horns. /VCG

A baby topi and its mother. /VCG

The population of topis is highly dependent on green vegetation. In the Serengeti, they join the migration of wildebeests, gazelles and zebras in search of greener pastures to graze.

Topis join the big migration. /VCG

The great animal migration. /VCG

The topi is currently listed as "least Concern" by International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, but its population is decreasing due to residential and commercial development, livestock farming, hunting and droughts.

For more:

Digital Safari: What do jackals eat?

Digital Safari: Why do cheetahs have 'tear tracks'?

Digital Safari: How long do leopard tortoises live?

Digital Safari: How fast can ostriches run?

Digital Safari: Who are the major predators that feed on wildebeest?

Digital Safari specal page