Sable Antelope

Hippotragus niger

General Description

Scientific Name: Hippotragus niger

Subspecies: 4 subspecies

Common/ Matsetsi Sable (H. n. niger)
Giant Sable (H. n. variani)
Zambian Sable (H. n. kirkii)
Eastern Sable (H. n. roosevelti)

Status: Least Concern (increasing)

Population Estimate: 50,000-60,000

Population in Assessed Areas: 172

Diet: Herbivore - grasses & herbs

Male Size: 235 Kgs

Female Size: 220 Kgs

Trophy Size: 96 cm minimum (SCI)

Generation Length: 7.5 years

Reproductive Season: February to March

Time of Activity: Diurnal

Description: The sable antelope is sexually dimorphic, with the male heavier and about one-fifth taller than the female. The head-and-body length is typically between 190 and 255 cm (75 and 100 in). Bulls reach about 117–140 cm (46–55 in) at the shoulder, while cows are slightly shorter. Bulls typically weigh 235 kg (518 lb.) and cows around 220 kg (490 lb.). The tail is 40–75 cm (16–30 in) long, with a tuft at the end.[13][14]

The sable antelope has a compact and robust build, characterized by a thick neck and tough skin.[13] It has a well-developed and often upright mane on its neck, as well as a short mane on the throat. Its general coloration is rich chestnut to black. Females and juveniles are chestnut to dark brown, while males begin darkening and turn black after three years. However, in southern populations, females have a brown to black coat, something rarely seen in the Giant or Eastern subspecies. Calves less than two months old are a light tan and show faint markings. The underparts, cheek, and chin are all white, creating a great contrast with the dark back and flanks. Long, white hairs are present below the eyes, and a wide, black stripe runs over the nose.

Both sexes have ringed horns which arch backwards. In females, these can reach 61–102 cm (24–40 in), while in males they are 81–165 cm (32–65 in) long. The average lifespan of the sable antelope is 19 years in the wild and 22 years in captivity.

Ecology: Sable are specialized browsing animals that feed upon foliage, mid-length grasses, leaves and herbs, particularly those that grow on termite mounds. Tree leaves make up 90% of their diet. They are diurnal animals, meaning they are most active in the daylight, but less active during the hottest part of the day. Like other bovids, they also have a ruminant digestive system.

Because water is essential to the sable antelope's survival, it travels every two to four days to drink at water sources. The sable antelope presumably decreases its risk of being eaten by predators by staying away from feeding areas with high numbers of other grazers, but at the cost of prolonged and strenuous journeys to water. Use of specific water sources in particular regions is related to the presence of calcium and magnesium salts in the water, allowing the antelope to consume large amounts of minerals while meeting their water needs

Behavior: Sable antelopes live in savanna woodlands and grasslands during the dry season, where they eat mid-length grasses and leaves. They visit salt licks and have been known to chew bones to collect minerals. They are diurnal, but are less active during the heat of the day. They form herds of 10 to 30 females and calves led by a single male, called a bull. Males fight among themselves; they drop to their knees and use their horns.

In each herd, the juvenile males are exiled from the herd around 3 years old. All of the female calves remain, however. When the herd gets too large, it divides into smaller groups of cows and their young. These groups form new herds, once again with only one adult bull. The young males, which have been separated from the herd, associate in "bachelor groups" of up to 12 individuals. Among the bachelors, the most dominant is the first individual to join a new group of females when the position is open. Seldom, during their fights for dominance, they are able to inflict bodily harm to any contenders.

Predation: When sable antelopes are threatened by predators, including lions, they confront their attackers and fight-back aggressively. Using their scimitar-shaped horns that can reach to its vulnerable rump area (which is generally preferred by predators), they can impale their enemy. Lions are likley their only common predator, though leopards, spotted hyenas, wild dogs and cheetahs may oppotunistically take calves or infirm adults on occasion.

Reproduction: The sable antelope's breeding season is seasonal and births coincide with the rainy season. After a gestation period of around 9 months, the female gives birth to a single young. A newborn calf is born with a sandy coloured coat, which helps it to camouflage. The calf will lie hidden away for at least 10 days while being nursed by its mother.

Young sable antelope are weaned at around 8 months and will become sexually mature at between 2 and 3 years. As the calf develops, its coat will darken and it will achieve its status within the herd. The life span of a giant sable antelope is around 17 years

Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: The Sable Antelope formerly occurred widely in the savanna woodlands of southern and eastern Africa, with an isolated population (Giant Sable) in central Angola. They have been eliminated from large areas of their former range by hunting and loss of habitat to the expansion of agricultural settlement and livestock.

This range reduction has been most marked in Mozambique, where they survive only in good numbers in Niassa in the north, and in the western Gaza province; southeast DR Congo; and north-east Tanzania. Sable have been reintroduced to many parts of their former range, but have also been introduced to areas where they never naturally occurred, including to Swaziland.

That being said, they have also been widely introduced into areas of Namibia and South Africa, for the purposes of hunting. In some areas of the eastern & western cape, sable antelope populations likely fill a similar ecological role to the extinct Bluebuck, hence could be seen as an instance of Pleistocene rewilding.

Current & Historic Populations: Summation of available population estimates gave a total population of about 54,000 Sable, but this does not allow for undercounting bias in aerial surveys or parts of the species’ range for which estimates of numbers are unavailable. East (1999) estimated the total population at 75,000, of which about half occurs in and around protected areas and one-quarter on private land. The largest populations were in Zimbabwe (>19,690), Tanzania (>10,680), Namibia (7,100) and Mozambique (4,270). The population in the Selous ecosystem probably represents the largest free-ranging population in Africa. Overall population trends were more or less stable in protected areas, increasing on private land where hunting and ecotourism has funded reintroductions, and decreasing elsewhere.

Foley et al. (2014) said that it is not threatened in Tanzania and estimated 3,400-5,500 in the Selous GR and Selous-Niassa corridor; ca 2,400 in Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem; ca 1,000 in Moyowosi GR (and stable for 30 years); with a few smaller populations elsewhere. Now rare in Kilombero Valley.

Map of Sable Antelope Distribution

Sable Antelope Population Data

Threats to Species Survival: Sable have been eliminated from large areas of their former range by historical hunting, poaching, and loss of habitat to the expansion of agricultural settlement and livestock. Poaching and armed conflict have been a major threat, specially for the Giant Sable and Sable populations in Mozambique. Further decline in the distribution and numbers of the Sable Antelope may occur in the more northerly parts of its range in future, unless the expansion of human populations and livestock is countered by the implementation of higher levels of protection and management of wildlife in countries such as Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

A former stronghold of Sable in N Botswana, near the Caprivi border, has been severely impacted by the construction of the Northern Buffalo Fence, which has affected their access to water, causing significant mortality. Inbreeding, evidenced by increased calf mortality, is a major risk in many of the smaller, privately owned herds of Sable. The survival of the Giant Sable through the Angolan civil war (1975-2002) is highly encouraging, but its survival remains precarious as many Angolans who fled the Luando Reserve during the mid-1970s flood back to areas they had formerly evacuated. There have been recent incidents of hybridization of Giant Sable with Roan Antelope in the Cangandala National park.

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Further resource and manage protected areas where Sable Antelope exist.
Encourage the implementation of economic incentives that allow landowners to profit off the presence of healthy sable population, wether that be through hunting or ecotourism.
Improve survey methods to get accurate population data, such as implementing long-term monitoring programs.

Economic & Cultral Analysis

Ecotourism Value: Moderate-high

Hunting Value: Very High

Meat Value: High

Average Trophy Value: $4,500 - 6,000 USD

Meat Yield per Animal: 90-110 kg

Economic Value/Impacts: In some regions, particularly rural area, Sable Antelope and other wildlife species serve as a source of protein and sustenance for local communities. In many areas, particularly Angola and Mozambique, a demand for such forms of illegally sourced bushmeat were so strong that populations were pushed to the brink of extirpation.

Sable are somewhat valuable to the ecotourism industry, being an animal that many visitors aim to see on their trip. They can be difficult to see at times, due to their shy nature, and tendency to inhabit areas with thick woody vegetation.

In the hunting industry, they are one of the most valuable plains game species, only being surpassed by Roan, and a few other very rare species. Ever since the colonization of Africa in the 16th century, they've been a prized quarry for hunters around the world, likely due to their incredible horn size, impressive body size, and striking black coat. Particularly in South Africa, this has been both positive and negative. It has definitely incentivized many landowners to breed and house thousands of additional sable, but certain players in the hunting industry has also been hybridizing subspecies to improve through size. Either way, the species in incredibly valuable to the hunting industry as well.

Cultural Value: Sable Antelope have been pursued as prey by hunter gatherer tribes thousands of years, being a staple food source for communities in many areas. The Sable Antelope is featured on the Rhodesian flag and coat of arms. It also was depicted on the Coat of arms of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

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