Red Hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus caama

General Description

Scientific Name: Alcelaphus buselaphus caama

Subspecies: no subspecies

Other Names: Cape Hartebeest

Status: Least Concern (increasing)

Population Estimate: 130,000-150,000

Population in Assessed Areas: 200

Diet: Herbivore - grasses & herbs

Male Size: 150 Kgs

Female Size: 120 Kgs

Trophy Size: 62 cm minimum

Generation Length: 7.5 years

Reproductive Season: February to March

Time of Activity: Diurnal

Description: Commonly known as the red hartebeest, it is the most colorful hartebeest, with black markings contrasting against its white abdomen and behind. It has a longer face that other subspecies, with complex curving horns joined at the base. The average weight of a male is about 150 kg, and female is 120 kg. Their average shoulder height is 135 cm, and horns are 60 cm long. The life expectancy of a red hartebeest is around 19 years.

Little sexual dimorphism is noted between males and females, showing no distinct identifiable physical features, but body size is slightly affected. Horn size, however, expresses more dimorphism between males and females, as males fight and defend themselves for sexual selection. Thus, male skull weight and circumference is slightly greater than that of the female

Ecology: Suitable red hartebeest habitat varies from arid desert-like sandveld with a rainfall of <250 mm per annum in the west of the distribution range, to karroid succulent veld, savannah woodland and montane grassland highveld with a rainfall not exceeding 900 mm per annum. Red hartebeest adapt well to temperate coastal regions, to the cold snaps of highland winters of the Free State and the Eastern Cape and to hot, arid environments.

The most essential habitat requirement is a wide diversity of grass species with an

intermediate height of 12-35 cm. Red hartebeest do well in both sweet-veld and mixed-veld habitats. Although they can adapt to sourveld habitats, these are highly marginal and limit performance and production potential. The preferred habitat types have an annual rainfall of 300-450 mm with vegetation of open woodland and mixed-veld savannah. These are found on the foot slopes of mountains and in plains with low undulating hills. Red hartebeest also associate with open grassveld areas in woodland, floodplains, the fringes of marshlands and semi-deserts. Closed woodland thickets, riverine bush and forests do not contain suitable forage.

Red hartebeest cannot tolerate prolonged, extreme cold. In marginal environments with cold winters, the habitat must include kloofs or thickets for refuge.

Behavior: Hartebeests have an excellent sense of hearing and smell, although their sense of sight is poor. When alarmed, hartebeests flee, reaching a maximum speed of 55 km/h. Their evasion tactic is to induce confusion by running in a zigzag pattern, making it difficult for predators to catch them.

A. buselaphus subspecies have a gestation period of eight months, and they give birth to single calves. They typically give birth in a seasonal pattern before the summer rain begins. After birth, calves are hidden in dense vegetation before joining a group to increase their chances of survival from predators, since they are weak.[8] Most females begin breeding after the age of two, and can conceive again 9 or 10 months after giving birth.

Predation: The large carnivores preying on hartebeest in southern Africa include lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. Nile crocodiles may opportunistically prey upon hartebeest at watering holes, though this is uncommon. Compared to other large herbivores that is shares it's habitat with, hartebeest are not a primary food source for any of these species, and least of all for cheetahs. On average, out of their entire diet, lions only consume hartebeest about 7% of the time; leopards, 6.25%; hyenas, 3.5%; cheetah consumption of hartebeest makes up only about 1.75% of their total diet

Reproduction: Red Hartebeest have a gestation period of eight months, and they give birth to single calves. They typically give birth in a seasonal pattern before the summer rain begins. After birth, calves are hidden in dense vegetation before joining a group to increase their chances of survival from predators, since they are weak. Most females begin breeding after the age of two, and can conceive again 9 or 10 months after giving birth.

Like other Alcelaphus species, calves have the ability to run within the hour of being born, a defense mechanism necessary to protect themselves against many of the large carnivores that can predate upon them. The most common predators of claves include spotted hyenas, jackals, and on occasion lions & leopard.

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Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: Red Hartebeest occur throughout much of southern Africa (and marginally into Angola near the Namibian border), and although much reduced by the events of european colonisation, they are now expanding their range again as they have been reintroduced into many protected areas and private game farms (and widely introduced outside their former range). Their population health in the Angolan portion of their range is largely unknown, but they are likley greatly reduced or extirpated in some areas.

Across all areas of their current and historic range, they prefer areas of open savannah & grassland with limited trees and shrubs, but enough precipitation to support surface water year round, hence, they are absent from large areas of the western & northern cope, and large parts of Limpopo & KwaZulu Natal. Though there have been introductions into these areas, usually aided by artificial water sources.

Current & Historic Populations: The exact population number of Red Hartebeest in historic times is unknown, but across their entire range, was likely in the millions. Poaching, competition with livestock, diseases, and obstructive fences have seriously degraded populations since.

The number of surviving Red Hartebeest in southern Africa is estimated at about 130,000 (East 1999) and increasing. Likely, this number is now closer to 150,000-180,000 individuals across their entire range.

Map of Red Hartebeest Distribution

Threats to Species Survival: The main threats to Red Hartebeest, are agro-pastoral development and Poaching. Legal consumptive use appears to be having a positive effect on Red Hartebeest, and as long as this continues in a sustainable fashion is unlikely to threaten the subspecies. A problem associated with this however is the translocation of Red Hartebeest in southern Africa without regard to natural spatial patterns of genetic variation, can potentially lead to outbreeding depression, genetic swamping or maladaptation. That being said, most hunting properties do release additional males every 3-5 years to increase genetic diversity, to the chances of this happening is slim.

In parts of it's range in Namibia, close to the Namib desert, the species does seems to be suffering from the effects of aridification. Faunus has documented the near disappearance of a particular population, where aridification (likely due to human induced climate change) has been identified as the sole cause of of it's demise over a 5-10 year period

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Further resource and manage protected areas where Red Hartebeest exist.
Further study the implications of increased aridification on Red Hartebeest populations, to predict population trends in the future.
Improve survey methods to get accurate population data, such as implementing long-term monitoring programs.

Economic & Cultural Analysis

Ecotourism Value: Moderate

Hunting Value: High

Meat Value: Moderate-High

Average Trophy Value: $800 -$1,500 USD

Meat Yield per Animal: 50-68 kg

Economic Value/Impacts: In some regions, particularly rural area, Red Hartebeest and other wildlife species serve as a source of protein and sustenance for local communities. Even in areas where hartebeest numbers are high, they are rarely the attraction of ecotourist attention, mostly because they're a rather unknown species compared to others like wildebeest, zebra, giraffes or elephants.

In the hunting industry, they are becoming a common quarry for international and domestic hunters alike, largely due to their ability to thrive on marginal, rather dry land no suited for animal agriculture (where most hunting operations exist). Some regard the meat of Red Hartebeest as undesriable, whilst others regard it as a dleciacy.

Cultural Value: Red Hartebeest have been pursued as prey by hunter gatherer tribes thousands of years, being a staple food source for communities in many areas. They once avoided heavy human persecution by being a mostly nomadic species, simply moving on when the hunting pressure became too storng, though now due to modern vehicles and rifles, they can be heavily impacted by overhunting.

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