Red+Hartebeest

The Red Hartebeest, a large antelope found in South Africa, is the most colorful of the Hartebeest family. Its head is longer than the rest in its family and has two curved horns at the top of its head. The body is mostly a red-brown tint with white on the abdomen and behind and black streaking through it. The average weight of a male is about 330 lbs, and female is 260 lbs, average shoulder height is 4 1/2 feet, and horns are 2 feet long. The males horns, though, may be a tad bit longer because they use them to fight and defend themselves.

Hartebeests have a great sense of hearing and smell, but sight is a weak point of theirs. When alarmed, hartebeests start to become confused before running, and can reach a maximum speed of 55 km/h. Their escape tactic is to run in a zigzag pattern, making it making it hard for other animals and hunters to catch them. The life expectancy of a red hartebeest is around 19 years. Females usually start reproducing at the age of two. They have a gestation period of eight months, and they give birth to single calves, usually giving birth before summer. When calves are born they are hidden in high grasses to survive until they are strong enough to fend for themselves.

Hartebeests are grass feeders, and during wet season they consume higher quality grasses as compared to dry seasons. They are less water reliant, and only drink when melons or other water based foods are not available. Although they are not a big source of food, they are prey to lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. Also hunted by humans, as there are little to no laws on hunting in certain areas. Hunting hartebeests for survival is an ancient practice, hunting when they could catch the animal at its weakest point, the hottest part of the day. Recently, though, one of the only places where persistence hunting still occurs is in central Kalahari.