English: Sable Antelope; French: Hippotrague noir; Afrikaans: Swartwitpens; Chibisa: Mperemoi; Chiteve: Palavi; Damara: =nù!nà! gaeb; Iswana: Kwalata e hala; Kiswahili: Mbarapi, Pala-hala; Lozi: Kwalata; Maasai: Ol Gisauroi; Nganguela: Mpengo; Shaba: Kafumbwe; Shangan: Mhalamhala; Shona: Mharapara, ngwarati; Shosa: Kwalata, Potokwan; Sindebele: Mtshwayeli; Tswana: Kunkuru, Kwalata; Umbundu: Mpalanka; Zulu: Ilimoni
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Former distribution: From East Africa, Kenya, south to central South Africa and west to central and south Angola; southern Zaire and northern Zimbabwe.
Present distribution: South-eastern Kenya, Tanzania, south-eastern Zaire, and central Zambia, south-eastern Angola, Mozambique north of the Zambesi river, Malawi, north-eastern Botswana, Caprivi-Strip in Namibia, Zimbabwe and in South Africa in northern and eastern Transvaal; reintroduced in to Swaziland, Orange Free State and Transvaal.
Behaviour: They are gregarious, living in herds of 25-200; predominantly grazers. For all other data, see Pferdeantilope
Population status: Rare. Endangered in Angola.
Brief notes:
Body weight: 250-270 kg
Head and body length: 235-255 cm
Tail length: 55-75 cm
Shoulder height: 130-145 cm
Gestation period: 261-281 days
Maximum age: 18 years? (17 years in captivity)
Trophy: Record (Hippotragus n. niger) SCI: 124 5/8 score, 1968 Zambia, FRED RADEMEYER; average 100 score. RW’s: 60 3/4″, 1931 Zaire, Tervuren Museum (Drion); average 42″.
Hunting methods: Stalking with trackers.
Subspecies: 3
1. Sable Antelope Hippotragus n. niger Tanzania, south-eastern Zaire, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, south-eastern Angola, northern Namibia and northern Botswana, Zimbabwe to northern South Africa. Rare.
2. East African Sable Antelope Hippotragus n. roosevelti South-eastern Kenya. Rare.
3. Giant Sable Antelope Hippotragus n. variani Central Angola, between Luando and Cuanzo river, national reserve of Luando and Cangandala. Estimated numbers (1968-70): 1-1300 in the Luando Reserve, 100-150 in the Cangandala Reserve. 1982,100; acc. private comm. 1988, about 200 left, due to poaching and the effects of the war. Endangered. Trophy: Record SCI: 139 score, 1952 Angola, GEORGE W. PARKER; average 120 score. RW’s: 64 7/8, 1949 Angola, COUNT DE YEBES, Madrid Museum; 40″, Kenya, C.J. MURRAY; average 56″. CIC: 226.65 points, Angola, M.Z.; average 230 points.
Remarks: Information urgently needed about population status of the Giant Sable Antelope in Angola, so that new conservation measures can be taken immediately.
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