Hartebeest
From Freepedia
| Hartebeest Conservation status: Lower risk (cd) | ||||||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
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| Alcelaphus buselaphus Pallas, 1766 |
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. The horns found in both sexes curve outwards, then forewards, and then backward. They can reach a length of 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.
Nine Species of Hartebeest are found under Alcelaphus genus and two under Damaliscus genus:
- Red (Cape) Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
- Coke's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii)
- Western Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus major)
- Lelwel Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel)
- Kenya Highland Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x cokei)
- Neumann Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwelx swaynei)
- Swayne Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei)
- Tora Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus tora)
- Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii)
- Senegal Hartebeest (Korrigum) (Damaliscus korrigum korrigum)
- Tiang Hartebeest (Damaliscus korrigum tiang)
