HARTEBEEST OF UGANDA

The Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is the only animal classified in the genus Alcelaphus.

The Hartebeest stands almost 1.5 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and weighs anywhere from 120-200 kg (265-440 lb). Male Hartebeest are a dark brown colour while females are yellow brown. Both sexes have horns which can reach lengths up to 70 cm (27 in). Hartebeest live in grassland and open forest where they eat grass. They are diurnal and spend the morning and late afternoon eating. Herds contain five to twenty individuals but can occasionally contain up to three hundred and fifty.

The word hartebeest comes from Afrikaans and was originally called hertebeest. The name was given by the Boers who thought it resembled deer (hert in Dutch).

There are seven subspecies of hartebeest.
* Bubal Hartebeest (Extinct), Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus * Red (Cape) Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus caama
* Coke's Hartebeest or Kongoni, Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii
* Lelwel Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus lelwel
* Western Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus major
* Swayne's Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei
* Tora Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus tora

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