Common Nyala

Tragelaphus angasii

General Description

Scientific Name: Tragelaphus angasii

Subspecies: No Subspecies

Other Names: Southern or Lowland Nyala

Status: Least Concern (unknown)

Population Estimate: 20,000-27,000

Population in Assessed Areas: 110

Diet: Herbivore - mixed browser & grazer

Male Size: 98-125 Kgs

Female Size: 55-68 Kgs

Trophy Size: 31 inches minimum

Generation Length: 5.5 years

Reproductive Season: Year Round

Time of Activity: Diurnal/ semi-nocturnal

Description: Males are typically larger and weigh more than females. Males are usually around 92 – 126 kg and 104 – 121 cm tall (shoulder height), while females are generally about 54 – 68 kg and 82 – 106 cm tall (shoulder height).

Only males bear well-developed horns. Females (known as ‘red bulls’) can be found with rudimentary horns and, in these circumstances, will grow significantly larger than regular ewes. Nyala horns are lyre-shaped and smooth, with 6 – 8 cm long white tips and two whole spirals. These bud after six months and reach 20 cm by 15 months. It takes two years for the first spiral to fully form and five years to get the minimum trophy length of 68.58 cm.

Nyala bulls vary from light brown (‘chestnut’) to dark brown (‘chocolate’) and turn dark grey at older ages. Bulls have 10 – 14 distinctive vertical white stripes on their flanks and various of the following:

A horizontal white streak on the muzzle;
A white chin;
Two white dots on each cheek;
A white patch on the throat.

Bulls also have a dorsal mane stretching from their upper neck and down their spine to their tail tip and a chin mane extending from the throat to the stomach. Only adult bulls have golden-brown coloured lower legs. Nyala ewes are typically chestnut brown and lack the bull’s furry mane. Both male and female nyala lack pro-orbital scent glands.

Ecology: The preferred habitat for nyala includes dense thickets, woodland, and floodplains with bushy clumps for shade and refuge, permanent fresh drinking water, and a diverse range of browse and forb species. Nyala habitats require at least 15% thicket and at least 60 ha in size. Nyala spend 70-90% of their time in thickets, and, interestingly, the less thicket there is, the more nocturnal the nyala becomes. Nyala can live in dry savannah as long as thicket clumps and water are available. Nyala tend not to survive in regions with rainfall less than 300 mm or temperatures below -2°C but have adapted to semi-arid areas with annual rainfall between 380 and 450 mm.

Nyala are selective herbivores who feed on large amounts of grass, browse, and forbs. Much of their browse diet consists of fruit, pods, and flowers, with common browse species eaten, including Acacia spp, Ziziphus mucronata, and Grewia spp. They also feed on broadleaf forbs and fresh tree bark. While nyala consume soft, new grass growth, they avoid dry grass. Favoured sweet grass layers are between 4 and 23 cm high. Nyala drink an average of 3.5 litres daily, becoming more selective towards dietary moisture in their food in dry regions and periods. Dry pods are also a valuable source of protein during the dry winter.

Nyala are semi-gregarious and usually found in pairs or groups of 3 to 15 individuals. They generally lack family bonding, meaning individuals move between groups often. Male and female groups tend to be separate, but mixed-sex breeding groups of less than 15 individuals exist. Ewes are sometimes seen separated from their group when guarding a lamb, and old bulls tend to become solitary. Nyala are not territorial, and individual home ranges overlap. They are reluctant to change their home ranges even in severe environmental conditions, although young nyala may move to new areas when populations become too dense. Nyala are not migratory.

Nyala-herd-females-young-male-Tragelaphus-angasii-1024x682.jpg.webp

Behavior: Nyala are mainly diurnal but can become more nocturnal when habitats are less thicketed or subject to human interference. Nyala spend the daytime feeding and keeping to thickets for shade and protection. When threatened, nyala hide in bushes, often freezing until the threat has passed. If hiding is unsuccessful, they will run in a burst to another bush 20 – 50 metres away. When a group flees, individual nyala will run in different directions and take care not to flash their white tail undersides.

Predation: Common predators include leopards (Panthera pardus), lions (Panthera leo), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), and hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). Jackals, Caracals, and pythons may occasionally take calves or infirm adults, though this is usually very rare.

Reproduction: Mating occurs year-round. Bulls reach sexual maturity at 18 – 20 months and social maturity at 3 – 3.5 years. Ewes reach sexual maturity at 12 – 14 months and social maturity at 1.5 – 2 years. Ewes start lambing at 2.5 years old. Ewes have a gestation period of 220 – 230 days and a lambing interval of 9 – 10 months. After giving birth, ewes will hide, guard, and suckle their lamb for around 2.5 weeks before it joins her in the larger female group. The lamb weans at 3 months, and young males leave the breeding group at around 1 – 2 years to join a bull group.

Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: Nyala currently occupy regions in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Swaziland. Nyala were also introduced on private land in Namibia and have spread from South Africa to some Tuli block farms in Botswana (East, 1999; Anderson, 2013). The nyala went extinct in Swaziland during the 1950s but has since been reintroduced.

Current & Historic Populations: The current total population estimate for nyala is 36,500 individuals, with an estimated 30,000 in South Africa (Anderson, 2013), 1,000 in Swaziland (Monadjem, 1998), 3,000 in Mozambique (Anderson, 2013), 1,000 in Zimbabwe, and 1,500 in Malawi (East, 1999). There are also a reported 250 occupying private ranches in Namibia. The IUCN rates the current nyala population trend as stable and grades the nyala as Of Least Concern.

Threats to Species Survival: Historical threats to nyala included rinderpest, hunting, and habitat loss from agricultural development and livestock farming. However, nyala are relatively widespread and stable today, with no significant threats.

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Rehabilitate Mozambique’s wildlife areas, such as Gorongosa and Banhine National Parks, so nyala may recover their historic abundance in such areas (East, 1999).
Further resource and manage protected areas where nyala populations exist.
Increase surveying capabilities of most of it's populations, especially outside of protected areas, where much about the status of this species is unknown. Camera trapping surveys should be used to.

Map of Common Nyala Distribution

Economic & Cultural Analysis

Ecotourism Value: Moderate

Hunting Value: Very High

Meat Value: Moderate to High

Average Trophy Value: $2,000-3,500 USD

Meat Yield per Animal: 25-55 kg

Economic Value/Impacts: Lowland Nyala can have significant economic value in many areas, for their meat value, but most importantly for their trophy value. Trophy prices for Lowland Nyala can vary significantly based on the country and area, with tags in South Africa often being more expensive than in other areas. As the least common and spiral horned antelope with the most restricted current range, many hunting properties spend thousands of dollars breeding Nyala to be introduced onto large high-fence properties, many of which are outside of their natural range.

Their value to ecotourism areas is very minimal, due their reclusive nature means that they are only really sighted around key water sources. When they are sighted though, they do draw attention to visitors, dye to their unique appearance.

Cultural Value: Nyala have likely been hunted by humans and our ancestors for millions of years, and due to their relatively large size and slow speed, would have been a staple species for many peoples. Their meat is also highly respected, being similar in taste in texture to lamb, whilst being significantly lower in fat.

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