Hartebeest

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The Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is the only animal classified in the genus Alcelaphus.

The Hartebeest stands almost 1.5 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and weighs anywhere from 120-200 kg (265-440 lb). Male Hartebeest are a dark brown colour while females are yellow brown. Both sexes have horns which can reach lengths up to 70 cm (27 in). Hartebeest live in grassland and open forest where they eat grass. They are diurnal and spend the morning and late afternoon eating. Herds contain five to twenty individuals but can occasionally contain up to three hundred and fifty.

[edit] Subspecies

Seven subspecies have been described.

• Bubal Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus (Extinct)
• Red (Cape) Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus caama
• Coke's Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii
• Lelwel Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel
• Western Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus major
• Swayne's Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei
• Tora Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus tora

Two subspecies cross breeds are recognised by some sectors the commercial hunting fraternity.

• Kenya Highland Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x cokii
• Neumann Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x swaynei. (Ethiopia)

Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, Sigmoceros lichtensteinii is classified by some in the Alcelaphus genus as Alcelaphus lichtensteinii.

Two other species less commonly known as 'Hartebeest' are classed in the Damaliscus genus.

• Korrigum (Senegal Hartebeest), Damaliscus lunatus korrigum
• Tiang (Tiang Hartebeest), Damaliscus lunatus tiang

[edit] Etymology

The word hartebeest comes from Afrikaans and was originally called hertebeest. The name was given by the Boers who thought it resembled deer (hert in Dutch).