The Serengeti Antelopes

Wildebeest

Wildebeest are perhaps the most well-known antelope in the Serengeti. It is one of the largest antelope and is also known as the gnu, blue wildebeest, or brindled gnu.

They are most famous for the massive numbers that take part in the Great Migration. This is when millions of large animals move in a large circular path following food and water sources.

The wildebeest, while making up a large part of this migration, are not the only participants.

These large antelope are herbivores that graze on vegetation such as grass and leaves.

They have a long rectangular head and a mane that extends down the ridge on their back.

Both male and female wildebeests have long, curved horns, though the males tend to be bigger and have slightly darker coats.

Subspecies vary in color from slate gray to dark brown.

 

Eland

The eland is a very large antelope. It can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and have a shoulder height of around 4.9 feet. Males tend to be bigger than females.

One of the most distinguishing features of the eland is their spiral horns.

They also have a prominent black stripe running down the center of their back and dewlaps under their neck, which helps with thermoregulation in arid climates.

Elands are known as ‘track on track’ walkers.

This means that wherever a front foot lands, the rear foot will land in the same spot to minimize the noise they make walking in the bush.

Eland can jump over three meters in height and survive in desert, mountain, or bush habitats. During the dry season, they are found in the northern woodlands of the Serengeti.

In the wet season, they are more often found in the southern or eastern plains of the park.

Lesser Kudu

This Serengeti antelope is a striking creature and quite easy to identify. However, you may have a hard time spotting it as it is very shy and spends most of its time in thick vegetation.

Males have spiral horns and are typically larger than the females.

They have thin white stripes across their bodies and down the back, with two thicker white stripes on the throat and neck. Males have a dark brown coat while females are more reddish brown.

Lesser kudu spend most of their time in the forests of the southwestern Serengeti.

It is quite difficult to see, and you are more likely to spot a flash of white from under their tail as they move away from you.

To distinguish them from the greater kudu, the legs and horns of the lesser kudu have an orange tinge to them.

Bohor Reedbuck

Bohor reedbucks are medium-sized antelopes with long limbs commonly spotted close to water sources in the Serengeti. They hide mainly in tall grass.

Rams have stouter necks and build than females. They also have small, forward-facing horns, while the females have none.

The coat is a yellow to grayish brown color with white undersides, and they have a dark stripe on the front of each foreleg.

Males can reach between 100-133 lbs, while females are smaller at 77-100 lbs.

Bohor reedbucks live in small groups or pairs. They are predominantly nocturnal, preferring to graze at night.

Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of over 7 months.

The young hide for the first two to three months of their life, only coming out to nurse for 10-30 minutes at a time.

East African Oryx

East African oryx, also known as beisa, are a threatened species of the Serengeti, with populations declining.

These animals have been illegally hunted by those who believe their blood and flesh can cure illnesses or give extraordinary strength.

The subspecies fringe-eared oryx is the type found in the Serengeti.

It is a very distinctive type of Serengeti antelope. It is fawn in color with black bands and white stripes on its face. A black line on the body marks the point where the fawn color gives way to a white underbelly.

Males and females tend to look the same, with long, straight horns that are ringed.

They are territorial animals and will use their speed as a defense mechanism against predators.

Grant’s Gazelle

This beautiful antelope is often confused with the more widely known Thomson’s gazelle.

However, Grant’s gazelle is larger and doesn’t have the black stripe on its side. It also has a white patch on the tail that extends up its back.

These Serengeti antelope live in large herds and participate in the Great Migration each year. They can also go for long periods without water.

This is possible because they can raise their body temperature so that they sweat less when they are hot, thereby conserving water.

Male Grant’s gazelles weigh between 121-176 lbs and females between 77-100 lbs.

Both the male and female have lyre-shaped horns, which have a ringed appearance. They can measure between 18-30 inches in length.

Females give birth to one calf after a 7-month gestation. The calf is hidden in long grass, and the mother leaves to graze, returning several times daily to nurse the baby gazelle.

Thomson’s Gazelle

One of the better-known antelopes of the Serengeti is the Thomson’s gazelle.

Smaller than its counterpart, the Grant’s gazelle, it has a distinctive lateral stripe on its abdomen to tell them further apart.

There are two subspecies of Thomson’s gazelles, the eastern and Serengeti Thomson’s gazelle.

The variety found in the Serengeti has a whiter face than the eastern gazelle and a black stripe that goes from the inner eye to the mouth.

It is estimated that there are around 500,000 gazelles in the Serengeti, a mixture of Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles.

This makes them the second most numerous antelope in the park after the wildebeest.

Female Thomson’s gazelles have shorter horns than the males.

They give birth to a single calf following a 6-month gestation. Young Thomson’s gazelles often fall prey to predators in the calving season.

Waterbuck

As its name suggests, the waterbuck tends to stay close to a water source and needs a good supply of grass to feed.

For this reason, it lives in very specific regions of the Serengeti, such as the woodlands in the central part of the park.

These antelopes of the Serengeti are quite easy to identify. They have long, shaggy hair on their necks and a white ring on their rump.

Their coat has a water-repellent layer thanks to a coating of oil, and the males’ long, sweeping horns are faintly ringed. Horn length can be up to 40 inches.

Waterbuck are not common prey for large predators, which may be due to their thick coats. Perhaps for this reason, they are typically only attacked by very hungry lions.

Male waterbuck are usually about 25% larger than females.

Breeding season can be spread throughout the year, and young are at high risk of mortality due to predators such as big cats.

Hartebeest

Hartebeests are also known as kongoni or kaama.

Despite their large size and ungainly appearance, the hartebeest is one of the fastest antelopes, capable of reaching 43 miles an hour. They are also surprisingly elegant for such a large mammal.

These Serengeti antelope are quite easily recognizable with their long faces and steeply sloping backs.

They also have wide sweeping horns as opposed to the more common parallel horns of other antelope.

Their name actually translates to ‘tough ox,’ and they are certainly resilient.

Hartebeests are not picky eaters and will eat what is available. Females, however, will only give birth when food is available.

Hartebeests stand 3-5 feet at the shoulder and weigh between 165 and 440 pounds. They live in organized herds that can exceed 300 animals.

Dik-dik

Kirk’s dik-diks are tiny antelopes that vary in color depending on their habitat but are typically yellowish-gray to reddish-brown on its back and grayish-white on their belly. Males have horns that are ringed and stout at the base, which are often concealed by a tuft of hair on their forehead. These antelopes have beautiful, large, dark eyes surrounded by a white ring. And while their eyes are stunning, they provide more than just sight. Preorbital glands appear as a black spot below the inside corner of each eye. These glands produce a dark, sticky secretion used to scent-mark their territories.

The most distinguishing feature is their elongated snout, which is also an evolved cooling mechanism that stops them from overheating, even in extreme temperatures of up to 40°C (104°F). This also helps minimize their need for water.