# Hartebeest (*Alcelaphus buselaphus*) Hartebeests are large African antelopes with long faces and curved horns. They are known for their speed and agility, able to run swiftly across the savannas. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Savannas - **Also known as:** Hartebeest Antelope, Korrigum ![Hartebeest](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426790/objects/6150.jpg) ## Appearance The Hartebeest is a large antelope known for its unusually long, narrow face and high-set eyes. It has a reddish-brown to sandy-brown coat, darker markings on its legs, and distinctively ridged, V-shaped horns that curve outwards and then inwards. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Bovidae - **Genus:** Alcelaphus ## Interesting facts - Baby Hartebeests can stand and run just minutes after they are born! - Hartebeest often chew their food twice, like a cow, to get all the nutrients. - The name 'Hartebeest' comes from Afrikaans, meaning 'hard beast'. - They rub a sticky liquid from glands near their eyes on plants to mark their territory. ## Special abilities - **Eagle-Eyed Lookout:** Hartebeest has a long face with high-set eyes that helps them scan far horizons for predators across open plains. - **Speedy Escape Artist:** Hartebeest can run incredibly fast, reaching speeds up to 80 km/h to outpace chasing predators. - **Grassland Gourmet:** Hartebeest has strong teeth and specialized digestion that helps them eat tough, dry grasses in arid environments. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 150-240 cm - **Weight:** 100-200 kg - **Lifespan:** 11-20 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 210-240 days ## Diet & Feeding This herbivore mainly munches on tough grasses, helping to keep the savanna tidy. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Herbs, Shrub leaves - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Adult Hartebeest are prey for lions. - **Eaten by:** [Spotted Hyena](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-hyena) (*Crocuta crocuta*) — Hyenas hunt Hartebeest, especially the young. - **Eaten by:** Cheetah (*Acinonyx jubatus*) — Cheetahs are fast predators of Hartebeest. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Admire hartebeests from a safe distance and never approach them in the wild. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Hartebeest? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Hartebeest? 150-240 cm ### How much does Hartebeest weigh? 100-200 kg ### How long does Hartebeest live? 11-20 years ### How fast can Hartebeest move? 80 km/h ### What does Hartebeest eat? This herbivore mainly munches on tough grasses, helping to keep the savanna tidy. ### Where is Hartebeest usually found? Savannas ### How does Hartebeest hunt? Grazing ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Hartebeest: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hartebeest)