Alcelaphus caama, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-779 : 653-654

150.

Red Hartebeest

Alcelaphus caama

French: Bubale roux / German: Kaama-Kuhantilope / Spanish: Alcelafo rojo

Other common names: Rooihartebees, Khama

Taxonomy. Antilope caama Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803 ,

Agter Bruintjes-Hoogte (Somerset-East, Eastern Cape).

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. N & E Namibia, Botswana, extreme NW Zimbabwe, and N South Africa.

Descriptive notes. Total length 207-220 cm, tail 40-50 cm, shoulder height 120-133 cm, ear 17-20 cm, hindfoot 53-57 cm; weight 131-165 kg (males) and 105-136 kg (females). Thereis little difference in linear dimensions between the sexes, but males are very much heavier. The Red Hartebeestis smaller than Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest ( A. lichtensteinii ), but the sexual difference in weight is greater. Diploid chromosomes number 40. This species has by far the longest horns relative to skull length, and a very heavy skull relative to its length, even heavier than in the Lelwel Hartebeest ( A. lelwel ); it is also one of the most sexually dimorphic species in horn circumference, pedicle height, and skull weight. The horns rise straight up from their very long pedicles, and curve forward and then back almost at right angles. The space between them is less even than in the Lelwel Hartebeest; they are strongly ridged for most of their length. Limited data indicate that the frontal sinuses in the male may penetrate as much as 5% of the horn, more than in other hartebeest. Greatest skull length is 46:4-50. 5 cm in males, horn span is 87% of basal length, and least frontal width is 75-79% of biorbital width. Preorbital secretion is black and sticky; because of shoulder-wiping, the shoulders are typically streaked with black. The body color is reddish-brown to yellow-tawny, with a tendency for the dorsal region to be somewhat darker, forming a poorly marked “saddle” that is better expressed in the male than in the female. The rump is pale yellow or off-white, looking white at a distance. A dark patch extends from the front of the shoulders to the knees or even the hooves; there is also a dark patch on the front of hindlegs as far as the hocks and sometimes to the hooves. The forehead and top of the muzzle are black, separated by a broad band of reddish-brown between and in front of the eyes, and there is a black patch behind the horn pedicles, extending around to the sides of the face behind the eyes. The underparts are slightly paler than the upperparts.

Habitat. Grassland, especially on floodplains, and in semi-desert with scattered low bushes. The range tends to be limited by more closed woodland and by the lack of surface water.

Food and Feeding. They are selective grazers but turn to browse toward the end of the dry season; overall, browse has been found to make up 40-44% of the diet. In the Kalahari, they eat melons and dig up roots and tubers.

Breeding. Breeding is seasonal, and estrus apparently lasts just one day. The rut is March-April in South Africa’s North West Province, but earlier in the Free State. The male checks reproductive readiness of his females by vulval sniffing; courtship is performed by advancing with outstretched head, ears lowered, then nudging the female with his snout. Gestation is eight months. The female has her first calf at about three; she gives birth in a vegetative area, and keeps the calf hidden, visiting it to suckle and lick up its urine and feces. The calves begin to eat grass by two weeks, although they suckle for up to eight months. As they grow, they tend to form groups within the herd.

Activity patterns. They are most active in early morning and late afternoon, but may graze throughout the day when the weather is cool. When running, a herd tends to swerve to left and right alternately, probably confusing predators in this way.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Red Hartebeest were formerly reported moving in herds of thousands, and they still aggregate into herds of a few hundred at suitable feeding grounds, though most of the herds number about 20. Territorial males herd females into loose harem groups, and when the territorial male is temporarily absent, a female may lead the harem. There are bachelor herds in peripheral areas, although in some regions, such as the dry country of Botswana, males may be solitary.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as A. buselaphus caama ). Formerly from Cape Town north to the Limpopo River and the Zimbabwe border, and north-west through Botswana to northern Namibia and southern Angola; the range is much more restricted today. The Red Hartebeest is protected in Etosha National Park and on farmland in Namibia, in the dry country of southern Botswana, and in the Northern Cape, South Africa. They have been reintroduced over much of their former range in South Africa (but not the far south) and Swaziland.

Bibliography. Capellini & Gosling (2006), Estes (1991a, 1991b), Farke (2007), Skinner &Chimimba (2005).

Figures

On following pages: 147. Swayne's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus swaynel); 148. Kongoni (Alcelaphus coki); 149. Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii); 150. Red Hartebeest (Alcelaphus caama); 151. Herola (Beatragus hunter).

Distribution. N & E Namibia , Botswana , extreme NW Zimbabwe , and N South Africa .