Common Name: Sable antelope

Scientific Name: Hippotragus niger

Description: This large, deep brown antelope can reach weights up to 260 kg with heavy, ringed horns commonly over 1 m and rarely up to 1.5 m. Both males and females have horns although the females' horns are shorter. A mane runs along the back of the neck which often stands erect. Speeds up to 57 km/h are known. Their powerful bodies and impressive horns earn them respect: a few years ago in Africa one sable killed two lionesses. A section of horn was found broken off inside one cat's skull, the other was also mortally wounded by a horn jab. Typically, sable drop to their knees and slash with their horns when cornered. You can read about it in Captstick's book Death in the Long Grass.

Range: East Africa to South Africa and Angola

Habitat: Wooded areas.

Diet: Herbivorous.

Social Life: Sable live in large groups up to one hundred individuals. A dominant male leads the herd. Juvenile males are chased out of the herd between 2 and 3 years of age. Small bachelor groups of juvenile males form until individuals become large enough to fight for control of another male's herd.

Conservation: One subspecies variani is listed as endangered by IUCN and USDI and appendix I on CITES.

Recommended LINKS & BOOKS

Africam's Field Guide page on sables.

Quality images of sables in Africa.

The Ultimate Ungulate's sable antelope information page.

This is a great book to have and it's just been updated. And if you're planning a trip to Africa, make sure to read this first and then bring it with you! It's that good. Click here to buy.

Dr. David Macdonald's Encyclopedia of Mammals is one of the great standards for mammal information including the sables. Purchase it through Amazon.com by clicking on the photo to help the zoo!

Another excellent text on African mammals is The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals.