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iHartebeest
Image:Hardebeest.jpg
Conservation status
Image:Status iucn2.3 CD.svg Conservation dependent (LR/cd) </div>
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Alcelaphinae Genus: Alcelaphus Species: A. buselaphus
Binomial name
Alcelaphus buselaphus Pallas, 1766

The Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is the only animal classified in the genus Alcelaphus.

The Hartebeest stands almost 1.5 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and weighs anywhere from 120-200 kg (265-440 lb). They can reach a length of 70 cm (27 in). Male Hartebeest are a dark brown colour while females are yellow brown. The word hartebeest comes from Afrikaans and was originaly called hertebeest. The name was given by the Boers who thought it resembled deer (hert in Dutch).

Hartebeest live in grassland and open forest where they eat grass. They are diurnal and spend the morning and late afternoon eating. Herds contain five to twenty individuals but can occasionally contain up to three hundred and fifty.

Seven subspecies have been described.

• Bubal Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus (Extinct)
• Red (Cape) Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus caama
• Coke's Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii
• Lelwel Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel
• Western Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus major
• Swayne's Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei
• Tora Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus tora

Two subspecies cross breeds are recognised by some sectors the commercial hunting fraternity.

• Kenya Highland Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x cokii
• Neumann Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel x swaynei. (Ethiopia)

Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, Sigmoceros lichtensteinii is classified by some in the Alcelaphus genus as Alcelaphus lichtensteinii.

Two other species less commonly known as 'Hartebeest' are classed in the Damaliscus genus.

• Korrigum (Senegal Hartebeest), Damaliscus lunatus korrigum
• Tiang (Tiang Hartebeest), Damaliscus lunatus tiang

[edit] References

• Antelope Specialist Group (1996). Alcelaphus buselaphus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006.
• Search Alcelaphus on IUCN Red List.

[edit] External links

• Hartebeest: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation
• Animal Diversity Web Alcelaphus buselaphus (hartebeest)de:Kuhantilope

es:Alcelafo eo:Alcelafo stepa fr:Bubale lt:Galvijinė antilopė nl:Hartenbeest sv:Hartebeest zh:狷羚