PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
-
A large antelope, darkly colored with distinctive black and white head markings.
-
General colour glossy black with pure white underparts.
-
The heavily ridged horns sweep backwards in a striking curve.
-
The female is similar to the male, but paler and tinged chestnut, with smaller, less curved horns.
-
Calves are fawn colored with indistinct facial markings.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
HEAD TO BODY LENGTH: 6 .25 -8.75 ft ( 1.9 -2.7 meters )
TAIL LENGTH: 37-76 cm ( 14 .5 – 30 in )
HORN LENGTH: Males : 81-165 cm ( 32.4 – 66 in ) Female 61 -102 cm ( 24.4 – 40.8 in )
SHOULDER HEIGHT: 117 -143 cm ( 3.9 – 4.7 ft )
WEIGHT: 150 – 300 kg ( 330 – 660 lb )
RANGE : East to Southeast Africa
HABITAT: Wooded Savanna’s
FOOD: Medium high grasses and leaves
STATUS : Critically endangered: There are only 200 -400 left in the world.
REASON FOR STATUS : Diseases, habitat loss, degradation and hunting . There used to be 54,000
GESTATION PERIOD: 261 – 281 days
LIFESPAN: YRS IN WILD – 17 years in wild / 19 years in captivity