The roan antelope Нippotragus equinus
Subfamily Hippotraginae – Horse antelopes
Genus Hippotragus
The roan antelope (Нippotragus equinus) is a large ungulate standing 160 cm at the shoulders and weighing up to 300 kilograms. The roan antelope has a thick neck with stiff erect hair forming a mane; the pelage is roan in colour making the roan antelope look somewhat horse-like in appearance. Its massive, sharp horns, measuring 90 to 95 cm, curve back away from the head. The roan antelope has long ears with dark tufts, and characteristic white patches on the dark brown or black muzzle. These animals range through Africa, except for Sahara, deserts of the Somali Peninsula, Kalahari Desert, tropical forests of Congo River basin, and costal areas of the Gulf of Guinea. The roan antelope prefers woodlands and grasslands, savannahs, and marginal forests. These antelopes live in herds consisting an adult male and females and their young; some herds may number 40 to 50 individuals. Young males form separate bachelor groups. Roan antelopes are usually sedentary but their home ranges are very large and the animals use different parts of their territory depending on the season. Roan antelopes can live without water for two or three days but if they have access to the watering place, they come there regularly. When the herd is going to move to a new pasture, the dominant male explores it first and only then brings his herd to the new place. Roan antelopes forage in the morning and evening hours, and probably during the night, feeding exclusively on grasses and ignoring leaves or shoots. In the heat of the day they stay in the tree shade or rest lying in tall grass. Alarm signal of the roan antelope is a snort or whistling sound. Running away from predators, this antelope lowers its head and neck. Roan antelopes often forage together with the zebras, giraffes, and other ungulates and they are usually accompanied by buffalo-weavers.
Roan antelopes do not have a fixed breeding season. Gestation period is 270 to 280 days, with females giving birth to a single fawn. Adult rival males fight, standing on their knees. When attacked by a predator, the roan antelopes would often attack themselves rather than try to escape. They do not have dangerous enemies, except for lions and humans.
