Sable Antelope

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The Sable Antelope is a large, dark coloured antelope with curved horns in both sexes and conspicuous black-and-white head markings. The name "sable" refers to the black colour of the male's coat. The male's head-body length is 210-255 cm, with a shoulder height of 127-143 cm. Body weight is 200-270 kg (males) and 190-230 kg (females). The scythe-like ringed horns grow to a length of 150 cm (males). Females are smaller than males and have a chestnut to dark brown darkening coat as they mature while (adult) males are very distinctively black. Both sexes have a white underbelly, white cheeks and a white chin and a well developed, coarse, stiff mane on the back of their neck.

Did you know?
the largest subspecies, the giant sable, unique to Angola was believed by many to be extinct after almost three decades of civil war? Fortunately, an investigation carried out in 2004/05, using remote cameras triggered by an infrared beam, could prove the contrary. A small herd of giant sable could be documented on film in the Kangandala National Park in the northern province of Malanje.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	BOVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Hippotragus niger
Name (English)	Sable Antelope
Name (French)	Antilope noire
Name (German)	Rappenantilope
Name (Spanish)	Antílope sable
Local names	Afrikaans: Swartwitpens Portuguese: Palanca negra isiNdebele: Umtjwayeli, ingwalathi isiXhosa: Iliza isiZulu, siSwati: Impalampalaki Swahili: Mbarapi, pala halasePedi seSotho: Phalafala seTswana, siLozi: Kwalatachi Shona: Mharapara, ngwaratitshi Venda: Phalaphalaxi Tsonga: Mhalamhala
CITES Status	Appendix I (subspecies variani only)
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Colin Burnett

Distribution

Distribution
Range	South-eastern and southern Africa
Habitat	Wooded savannahs
Wild population	75.000 (1999)(Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	357 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Requirement 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Road transport (according to the South African Standard SANS 10331): Transport adult bulls separately under tranquillization. Transport cows, calves and subadult bulls in mass crates under tranquillization. If transported individually, the crates should be placed transversely on the transport vehicle, so that the heads of the animals face outwards.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Paul Maritz

Why do zoos keep this animal

While listed in the "lower risk" category by IUCN, sable antelope populations are quite rare in parts of their range. Zoos therefore aim at maintaining selfsustaining ex situ populations and run coordinated breeding programmes in three regions. Zoo bred-animals have already been sent back to South Africa for the purpose of being reintroduced to conservation areas where they have become locally extinct.

How this animal should be kept

Sable antelopes should be kept in social groups of one adult male and several females with their offspring. For up to five adult animals an outdoor enclosure of at least 800 m² is required, which should be enlarged by 80 m² for each additional adult. The enclosure should be well structured, frequently used areas, e.g. at the entrance to the stables, should be paved. The soil should be well drained. Landscaping may involve tree roots, large natural stones or trees. Because horned animals may injure each other in confined, some in confined spaces, it is vital that they should be stabled separately.

The indoor stabling is dry and free of drafts, and it is heated to 14-16 degrees Celsius during winter. Sable antelopes are are primarily grazers, preferring to crop the top portions of grasses, but would occasionally feed on woody and herbaceous plants. In the wild they prefer stands of medium to tall grass stands in open savannahs. It is important therefore to provide a low-protein diet and to ensure that the animals have continuous access to normal good hay.

Supplementing this diet with concentrates shoulfd therefore be restricted to very small doses. The animals are happy to eat soft wood twigs with or without leaves at any time of the year.