Overview
The Western hartebeest is a relatively large hartebeest, with a high frontal pedicel. General color is a dull sandy brown, with the front of the legs darker, and a distinctive white line between the eyes. The horns (both sexes) are thick, massive, and U-shaped when viewed from the front. They grow upward, outward, and slightly backward, then upward and forward, and finally bend sharply backward.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Alcelaphus
- Species
- Alcelaphus buselaphus
Habitat
Dry savannas and wooded grasslands. Distributions- Parts of Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d'lvoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon.
Diet
Mainly a grazer.
Behavior
Gregarious animals, hartebeest form herds of 20 to 300 individuals. They are very alert and non-aggressive.
Hunting
As they live on open plains they are not hard to locate, but approaching them and determining sex and horn size may be difficult, especially in areas where they are regularly hunted. Often there is little cover, and long shots may be required.
Conservation Status
Listed as Near Threatened by IUCN.