Overview
With its elongated face, high shoulders and sharply sloping back, the hartebeest has one of the most distinctive silhouettes on the African plains. Its unusual build may appear awkward, but it is exceptionally well suited to sustained movement across open grassland. In northern Tanzania, the subspecies most often encountered is Coke’s hartebeest, also known as the kongoni.
Hartebeests are specialised grazers, feeding mainly on grasses and often favouring open country where they can watch for predators from a distance. Their long legs and powerful forequarters allow them to maintain speed over considerable distances, making endurance one of their greatest defences.
They are social antelope and may be seen in small female groups, bachelor herds or larger seasonal gatherings. Territorial males often occupy prominent areas with good grazing and visibility, where they watch over passing females and challenge rival bulls.
Behaviour & How to Identify
Look for a large antelope with a long, narrow face, pointed ears, high shoulders and a back that slopes noticeably towards the hindquarters. Both males and females carry horns, which rise from a shared base before curving outwards and backwards. Male horns are usually thicker and more heavily built.
Hartebeests spend much of the day grazing, although they may rest during the hottest hours. Their elongated heads allow them to crop grass efficiently without bending their front legs as deeply as many other antelope.
Adult males can be territorial, marking their ranges with dung, urine and secretions from glands near the eyes. Females and young move more freely between territories and feeding areas.
Interesting facts
Their awkward-looking gallop is built for endurance. Long legs and powerful shoulders help hartebeests maintain speed across open ground.
Both sexes have horns. Male horns are generally thicker, while female horns tend to be more slender.
They communicate through scent marking. Secretions from preorbital glands near the eyes help individuals leave information around frequently used areas.