Swayne's hartebeest

Last updated

Swayne's hartebeest
Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei).jpg
Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Ethiopia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
Genus: Alcelaphus
Species:
Subspecies:
A. b. swaynei
Trinomial name
Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei
(Sclater, 1892)
Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei.png
Range of the Swayne Hartebeest (in red)

Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) is an endangered antelope native to Ethiopia. Two of the largest remaining populations are located in Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Nechisar National Park and Maze National Park. [3] It has been extirpated from Somalia. It is named after British officer H. G. C. Swayne (1860–1940). [4]

When it comes to their population status, during the times before the early 1890s the Swayne's hartebeest was very common throughout Ethiopia and Somalia. The population then declined due to an epidemic during the mid-1890s which brought about an extremely high mortality rate for wildlife and livestock which were labeled as “in danger of extermination”. [5]

Swayne's hartebeest exhibits ecological differences from other subspecies of hartebeests in that they prefer grassland habitats during the wet and dry seasons. It likes to select short grass areas of no more than 30 centimeters for feeding and has a preference for burned grassland patches. The preference for burned grassland patches has become relevant in the development of effective conservation strategies for the subspecies (and potentially the whole species). [6]

a herd of Swayne's hartebeest Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) herd.jpg
a herd of Swayne's hartebeest

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hirola</span> Species of antelope

The hirola, also called the Hunter's hartebeest or Hunter's antelope, is a critically endangered antelope species found as of now, only in Kenya along the border of Somalia. It was first described by the big game hunter and zoologist H.C.V. Hunter in 1888. It is the only living member of the genus Beatragus, though other species are known from the fossil record. The global hirola population is estimated at 300–500 animals and there are none in captivity. According to a document produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature "the loss of the hirola would be the first extinction of a mammalian genus on mainland Africa in modern human history".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartebeest</span> Grassland antelope

The hartebeest, also known as kongoni or kaama, is an African antelope. It is the only member of the genus Alcelaphus. Eight subspecies have been described, including two sometimes considered to be independent species. A large antelope, the hartebeest stands just over 1 m at the shoulder, and has a typical head-and-body length of 200 to 250 cm. The weight ranges from 100 to 200 kg. It has a particularly elongated forehead and oddly-shaped horns, a short neck, and pointed ears. Its legs, which often have black markings, are unusually long. The coat is generally short and shiny. Coat colour varies by the subspecies, from the sandy brown of the western hartebeest to the chocolate brown of the Swayne's hartebeest. Both sexes of all subspecies have horns, with those of females being more slender. Horns can reach lengths of 45–70 cm (18–28 in). Apart from its long face, the large chest and the sharply sloping back differentiate the hartebeest from other antelopes. A conspicuous hump over the shoulders is due to the long dorsal processes of the vertebrae in this region.

Nechisar National Park is a national park in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. It is in the Great Rift Valley within the southwestern Ethiopian Highlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oribi</span> Species of mammal

The oribi is a small antelope found in eastern, southern and western Africa. The sole member of its genus, it was described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. While this is the only member in the genus Ourebia, eight subspecies are identified. The oribi reaches nearly 50–67 centimetres (20–26 in) at the shoulder and weighs 12–22 kilograms (26–49 lb). It possesses a slightly raised back, and long neck and limbs. The glossy, yellowish to rufous brown coat contrasts with the white chin, throat, underparts and rump. Only males possess horns; the thin, straight horns, 8–18 centimetres (3.1–7.1 in) long, are smooth at the tips and ringed at the base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary</span> Wildlife sanctuary in Ethiopia

Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary is a protected area in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, dedicated especially to the protection of the Swayne's hartebeest. Covering 54 square kilometers, the reserve is located some 10 kilometers south of the Shashemene-Arba Minch road near the town of Aje.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant's zebra</span> Subspecies of zebra

Grant's zebra is the smallest of the seven subspecies of the plains zebra. This subspecies represents the zebra form of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and others across central Africa.

<i>Damaliscus lunatus</i> Species of the subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae

Damaliscus lunatus is a large African antelope of the genus Damaliscus and subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae, with a number of recognised geographic subspecies. Some authorities have split the different populations of the species into different species, although this is seen as controversial. Common names include topi, sassaby, tiang and tsessebe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salt's dik-dik</span> Species of mammal

Salt's dik-dik is a small antelope found in semidesert, bushland, and thickets in the Horn of Africa, but marginally also in northern Kenya and eastern Sudan. It is named after Henry Salt, who was the first European to acknowledge the species in Abyssinia in the early 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bubal hartebeest</span> Extinct subspecies of African grassland antelope

The bubal hartebeest, also known as northern hartebeest or bubal antelope or simply bubal is the extinct nominal subspecies of hartebeest. It was formerly found north of the Saharan Desert. Other subspecies live currently in grasslands south of the Sahara, from Senegal in the west to Eritrea and Ethiopia in the east and down to central Tanzania. The red hartebeest and Lichtenstein's hartebeest, alternatively considered subspecies or sister species of the common hartebeest, are present in southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red hartebeest</span> Subspecies of hartebeest

The red hartebeest, also called the Cape hartebeest or Caama, is a subspecies of the hartebeest found in Southern Africa. More than 130,000 individuals live in the wild. The red hartebeest is closely related to the tsessebe and the topi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topi</span> African antelope

Damaliscus lunatus jimela is a subspecies of topi, and is usually just called a topi. It is a highly social and fast type of antelope found in the savannas, semi-deserts, and floodplains of sub-Saharan Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coke's hartebeest</span> Species of antelope

Coke's hartebeest or Kongoni is a large migratory antelope that is native to Kenya and Tanzania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lelwel hartebeest</span>

The Lelwel hartebeest, also known as Jackson's hartebeest, is an antelope native to Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western hartebeest</span> Subspecies of hartebeest

The western hartebeest is an antelope native to the medium to tall grassland plains of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. It is possibly extirpated from Gambia.

The tora hartebeest, or simply tora, is an extremely endangered antelope, native to Eritrea and Ethiopia. It has possibly been extirpated from Sudan. One of the most critically endangered large mammals in the world, it is threatened by poaching and habitat loss. Perhaps fewer than 250 individuals remain in the wild and there is no captive population, as little to no action has been taken to preserve them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic</span> Tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern Africa

The Southern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, also known as the Southern Swahili coastal forests and woodlands, is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern Africa. It is a southern variation of Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic. The ecoregion supports habitats of forest, savanna and swamps. The southern portion of the ecoregion is not as well studied due to the 1977-1992 civil war in Mozambique.

Maze National Park is a national park in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region of Ethiopia. It is located 460 km southwest of Addis Ababa and 248 km from Hawassa. It covers 210 square kilometers or 2020 hectare. Maze was founded in 2005, and is managed by the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority.

Somali <i>Acacia</i>–<i>Commiphora</i> bushlands and thickets

The Somali AcaciaCommiphora bushlands and thickets is a semi-arid tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in the Horn of Africa. It is home to diverse communities of plants and animals, including several endemic species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borana National Park</span> National park in Ethiopia

Borana National Park is a wildlife sanctuary located in the Borana Zone of the Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia.

References

  1. IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2017). "Alcelaphus buselaphus ssp. swaynei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T809A3145291. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T809A3145291.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei)". ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
  3. Abebe YD (2010). "A Glimpse at Biodiversity Hotspots of Ethiopia". Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society (PDF). Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural History Society. p. 77. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-16.
  4. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2009). The eponym dictionary of mammals. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 401. ISBN   9780801893049 . Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  5. Datiko, Demeke; Bekele, Afework (2011-05-05). "Population status and human impact on the endangered Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) in Nechisar Plains, Nechisar National Park, Ethiopia". African Journal of Ecology. 49 (3): 311–319. Bibcode:2011AfJEc..49..311D. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.2011.01266.x. ISSN   0141-6707.
  6. Tamrat M, Atickem A, Tsegaye D, Evangelista P, Bekele A, Stenseth NC (January 2020). "The effect of season and post-fire on habitat preferences of the endangered Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) in Maze National Park, Ethiopia". BMC Ecology. 20 (1): 5. Bibcode:2020BMCE...20....5T. doi: 10.1186/s12898-020-0275-3 . PMC   6986001 . PMID   31992270.