Hartebeest HARTEBEEST Alcelaphus buselaphus Six races are recognised: Western major; Lelwel’s lelwel; Tora tora; Swayne’s swaynei; Coke’s cokei; Southern/Red caama German: Kuhantilope Breeding French: Bubale Mating season: Seasonal ruts for all, e.g. South Africa February – April; Spanish: Alcelafo buselafo Ethiopia mid-December – mid-February; parts of Kenya through year but major February/March peak Measurements Total length: 2,3 m (7.5‘) Gestation: 214 – 242 days Tail: 47 cm (18.5”) Number of young: 1 Shoulder Height: 1,25 m (3.9‘) Birth weight: 6 – 12 kg (13.2 – 26.5 lb) Weight: Male 150 kg (331 lb) Sexual maturity: Female first birth in third year Female 120 kg (265 lb) Longevity: One captive red hartebeest 15 years 4 months; estimated 11 – 20 years Western Hartebeest Lelwel hartebeest Tora hartebeest Swayne’s Hartebeest Coke’s hartebeest Red hartebeest Red hartebeest historical range Right front, 100 mm (3.9”) Right back, 96 mm (3.8”) Description Lelwel’s Ethiopia and CAR, western in All races are similar in appearance, those countries within range that offer medium-sized, shoulders higher than trophy hunting. rump, head long and pointed, as are narrow ears. Tail very short-haired at the Conservation standing base and much of under surface, with By far most abundant is the red with longish dark brown to black hairs on more than 100,000 animals, western outer surface. Both sexes carry horns, but >25,000, Lelwel >18,000, Coke’s about those of cows more slender. Horns of red, 28,000. Both the Tora and Swayne’s western and Lelwel approximate a U- or number only in the hundreds. V-shape; those of Tora, Swayne’s and Shot placement Coke’s are more slender, less dramatically Habitat back-swept and with tips spread further Open savanna and wooded grassland. apart. Western dull sandy-brown; Swayne’s and Behaviour red are deep red-brown to fawn, dark All quite similar, living in herds of up patches on upper legs with pale rump; to 20 individuals, but may gather in Lelwel’s reddish brown; Coke’s sandy- hundreds and even thousands seasonally, fawn, no markings; Tora also uniform in smaller herds retaining their integrity. In colour. arid areas may undertake migrations to new grazing. Adult bulls are territorial Distribution and try to retain harem herds for Red totally isolated in south, Coke’s only mating with receptive cows. Bachelor on Tanzanian/Kenyan border, western herds circulate outside the territories of from Senegal to south-west CAR, established bulls. Mainly day active, but Lelwel’s Chad and CAR to extreme do feed at night as well. Rifles and Ammunition north-west Tanzania, Coke’s only Kenya Suggested Calibre: .264 - .308. and Tanzania, Tora and Swayne’s possibly Food Bullet: Expanding bullet designed for penetration. only survive in Ethiopia. Red huntable in Mainly grazers, but do feed from Sights: Medium-range variable scope. Hunting Conditions: Expect medium to longer shots major range states, Coke’s in Tanzania, herbaceous plants. in open country. 171 Hartebeest Bull and cow red hartebeest “mock” fighting Coke’s hartebeest, or Kongoni, is an East African form Coke’s hartebeest has distinctive horns Red hartebeest cow has slender horns Red hartebeest bull has more robust horns 170 Game Animals of the World.