Hippotragus niger
Afrikaans : Swartwitpens
German : Rappenantilope
French : Hippotrague noir
Sable antelope are most active during the early morning and late afternoon. Where not persecuted, they are not excessively wary, often running a short distance when startled, then stopping and looking back. However, when closely pursued, they can run as fast as 57 kmph / 35 mph for considerable distances. When wounded or
cornered, sable antelope viciously defend themselves with their saber-like horns. The 'critical distance' - the point at which an animal defends itself instead of fleeing - for sable antelope seems to be smaller than for comparable species. Old bulls are believed to be territorial. When fighting, males drop to their 'knees' and engage in horn wrestling. Fatalities from these combats are known, but are rare.
Body Length: 190-255 cm / 6.3-8.5 ft.
Shoulder Height: 117-143 cm / 3.9-4.7 ft.
Weight: 190-270 kg / 420-595 lb.
Gender differences:
Sexual dimorphism is present in this antelope, although the extent varies depending on location and subspecies. Colouration is the most obvious difference, with females and young being bright chestnut to dark brown and mature males being chestnut to jet black. The white belly contrasts greatly with the back and sides. The face is white with a black facial mask consisting of a wide black stripe on the bridge of the nose, and stripes running from the eyes to the nose. The thick neck is enhanced by a mane of stiff hair. The semicircular, ridged horns are found in both sexes, although they are smaller in females. In males they grow 80-165 cm / 2.6-5.5 feet long, while those in females grow 60-100 cm / 2-3.3 feet in length.
Habitat:
Wooded savannas in south-eastern Africa. The sable antelope's preferred habitat combines savanna woodlands and grasslands during the dry season. Floodplain grasslands produce new growth after annual fires during dry season
Diet:
Typically, sable antelope are specialized grazers feeding on foliage and herbs, especially those growing on termite mounds. During the dry season they are less reluctant to browse. One of the reasons for declining antelope numbers could be their very specific feeding pattern. Typically they will feed on grasses (up to 90% of their diet) at heights of 40-140 millimeters from the ground taking only the leaf. In a savannah setting, sable antelope are the last to feed on the new grasses available during the late dry season when food availability is vital.
Water is visited at least every other day and no sable antelope will travel more then 2 miles from a watering hole or river. Salt licks are visited periodically and they will chew on bones to get trace essential elements not present in mineral-deficient soil.
Reproduction:
The mating season lasts from May to July, with a peak mating in June. Gestation lasts 8 to 9 months, allowing for birth at the end of rains. Normally one calf is born during the end of the rainy season when long grass is available for cover. The mother stays concealed for the first week of the calf’s three-week hiding phase. After the first week, the mother joins a maternal group that the calf will eventually join. Yet, the calf will seek out the mother only for nursing. In fact, the mother-offspring bond is so feeble, even small calves will spend days apart in a divided herd.
Weaning takes place six months after birth, usually towards the end of the dry season when vegetation is lowest in protein and other nutrients.
Females start to breed at 2.5 years old and congregate in social groups that are a rank hierarchy based on seniority. Males are subordinate to females until they are bigger. At 3 to 4 years of age males are evicted from female social groups and live in bachelor herds until they reach sexual maturity at 5 years
Other:
In heraldry, 'sable' means black, a reference to the dark colouration of mature males.
Lions seldom attack adults, because of their size and the formidable fighting abilities of these antelope. Humans are the only real threat to adult sable antelope and their populations. Young sable are susceptible to predation by lions, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and crocodiles.
Although sable are considered low risk at the moment, declining numbers could lead to a threatened listing in the near future. The subspecies Hippotragus niger variani is listed as endangered due to habitat loss and trophy hunting. Studies in the past show that a complex blend of factors such as disease, malnutrition, and habitat quality compounded by interspecific competition and attempts to manipulate populations have limited sable antelope numbers. Historic data has demonstrated their tendency to be dense in some regions and practically nonexistent in others, even in well managed national parks.
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