photo © & courtesy of www.ultimateungulate.com
Beatragus hunteri
Hunter’s Antelope,
Hunter’s Hartebeest
Weight 75 - 160 kg (165 - 350 lb) length 1200 to 2050 mm
Hirola have mixture of soft and coarser hairs that vary in color from
sandy brown to slate gray that covers the body. The ears are white with
black tips and the tail is white.
A white line passes across the forehead from one eye to the
other creating a
white emphasis around the eyes.
Both sexes have dark thick angular, curved, and slightly
flared horns that are ringed most of the length and reach about 700mm
in length when fully developed.
Hirola have long legs, a long body, long face with a slightly convex forehead, and a
relatively short neck
They are most active in the morning and early evening
Hirola cluster in harems, consisting of a territorial male, several
females, and their young. Small groups of bachelor males and
yearlings are common. Hirola form larger herds ranging in size from
15 to 40 individuals to many hundreds, depending on the time
of year. During this time, smaller herds often exchange
individuals before breaking apart from the larger group.
This exchange of individuals helps decrease the likelihood of genetic
drift and inbreeding within smaller herds.
Hirola are able to go without water.
They are able to survive lengthy periods without drinking by
avoiding energetic activity during the day and storing fats.
Hirola are preyed upon by lions and wild dogs, and cheetahs
Hyenas and eagles prey upon the young right after birth, before
the mother and calf rejoin the herd.
Gender differences:
Males are heavier set than the female
Habitat:
Seasonally arid grassy plains between dry acacia bush and
coastal forest
Diet:
Hirola feeds mostly on short grasses
with some weeds
Hirola will not feed from a newly grazed area left from another herd they will leave the area, seeking new grasses.
Reproduction:
Female hirola with young form groups of between 5 to 40 are headed
by a territorial bull.
mates at the beginning of the long rainy season in March or April
Most births occur at the beginning of the short rains from
October - November.
The hirola have a gestation of 235 days with 1 young born though
twins are possible.
Female hirola nurse and care for their young, who are capable of
standing and running soon after birth. Calving females will separate from the group for the two weeks following birth.
During this time the female and the calf are vulnerable
to predation. When the calf has reached yearling status, it separates from the herd to join a sub group of yearlings.
Females become sexually mature at 2 to 3 years of age, while males do not mate until they are large enough and dominant enough to successfully compete with other males, usually between 3 to year old. Males compete among themselves for access to females and defend territories in which they maintain a harem of
about 7 or 8 females. Male posturing includes head-flagging, marking of grass stems with preorbital glands, ground scraping with their
hooves,and dung accumulations. Aggressive fighting between males is different from play-fighting by their stance. Real fights take place on their knees, while play-fighting takes place standing or in an upright position.
Other:
There are only a small number of hirolas left in the world,
They are recognized as one of the most endangered
antelopes on earth today.
Hirola are mostly confined to sparse areas in northern
Kenya, near the border with Somalia.
The main threats to Hirola survival are habitat loss and
degradation, poaching and competition with livestock
for pasture and water.
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