Sable Antelope

The Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger) is an antelope that inhabits wooded savannah in East Africa south of Kenya, and in Southern Africa. There are two subspecies: H. n. niger which is considered low risk conservation dependant and the Giant Sable Antelope H. n. varani which is classified as critically endangered.

The Sable Antelope stands 120 to 140 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh 200 to 270 kilograms, males being larger than females. Female Sable Antelope are chestnut to dark brown darkening as they mature while males are very distinctively black. Both sexes have a white underbelly, white cheeks and a white chin. They have a shaggy mane on the back of their neck. Sable antelope have ringed horns which arch backward, in females these can reach a metre, but in males they can reach over one and a half metres.

Sable Antelope live in wooded savannah where they eat mid-length grass and leaves. They are diurnal but are less active during the heat of the day. Sable Antelope form herds of ten to thirty females and calves led by a single male. Sable Antelope males will fight among themselves; they drop to their knees and use their horns.