Roan Antelope

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Hippotragus equinus

Standing 1.5m high and weighing up to 300kg, the Roan Antelope is one of the biggest antelope occurring in South Africa. Their black-and-white face masks and curiously long ears make them easily recognisable.

Roan Antelope calf near Mooiplaas in the Kruger Park
Roan Antelope Bull along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger Park
Roan Antelope Cow along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger Park
Roan Antelope calf – such long ears!
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope

Roan Antelope are grazers, occurring in lightly wooded savannas and preferring areas with long grass and easy access to drinking water.

Roan Antelope drinking at Boyela in Kruger Park
Roan Antelope in Mokala National Park
Roan Antelope in Mokala National Park
Roan Antelope cow near Mooiplaas in Kruger Park
Roan antelope cow
Roan antelope Bull
Roan Antelope along the Shingwedzi River

Breeding herds, usually numbering between 2 and 15 animals, consist of a dominant bull, cows and calves that occupy a specific home range of up to 200km² (the size of which depends on the availability of quality grazing and water sources) for generations. While they are not strictly territorial, the lead bull will not tolerate other bulls coming closer than 300 – 500m from his harem.

Roan Antelope in Northern Kruger
Roan Antelope bull in Mokala National Park
Sub-adult Roan Antelope
Sub-adult Roan Antelope
Sub-adult Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope cow near Mooiplaas in the Kruger Park
Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger
Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger
Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger
Roan Antelope herd along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger
Roan Antelope Cow near Mopani in Kruger Park
Roan Antelope Bull
Big herd of roan antelope on the floodplain at Vogelfonteinin Nylsvley Nature Reserve

Single calves are born at any time of the year, though mostly in spring and summer, and remain hidden for the first 2 – 6 weeks after birth with the mother returning to it twice daily for nursing. Calves form “creches” once they are introduced to the herd, rather than constantly sticking to their mothers’ side. The curved horns of the adults are formidable weapons, and even lions are wary of attacking them, though calves are easy prey as they’ll try to remain hidden and will seldom attempt to flee when threatened by a predator, explaining in part why up to 40% of calves die before reaching 5 months of age. Roan Antelope have a natural life expectancy of up to 19 years in the wild.

Sub-adult Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope Cow and Calf along the Nshawu marsh in Kruger
Juvenile Roan Antelope near Mopani in Kruger Park
Just look at the ears on this Roan Antelope calf!

In Africa as a whole, the roan population is estimated at around 76,000 by the IUCN, with an overall decreasing trend due to poaching and habitat loss. In South Africa they are a rare species, numbering perhaps 1,500 in total, with small populations to be found in the Kruger, Marakele and Mokala National Parks, a few provincial nature reserves and on some private properties.

Roan antelope
Roan antelope
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope bull
Roan Antelope cow and calf
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope calf
Roan Antelope calf
Roan Antelope
Roan Antelope

43 thoughts on “Roan Antelope”

      6. aj vosse

        Maar jy kuier lekkered as ek! EN! Jy eet biltong!! En braai in die sonskyn… en van vis in die Olifants Revier… en hardloop weg van al die plathonde in St Lucia… en, en… en… nou wil ek huil! 😦

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Pat

    I’ve always thought antelope ears were rather interesting, but these are the most remarkable! I like the way they droop down at the tip. As if they’d grown so long it wasn’t supported any more. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Joanne Sisco

    I too love the first photo with the face peeking out of the bushes. Those are the kind of photos that are just a treasure to catch because they can’t be planned – they just happen.
    I like the little guys with the immature horns 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thank you very much, Janet! We thought it was rather funny that such a big guy was so shy of the camera yet so curious that he kept peeping through openings in the bush to make sure we were still there!

      Liked by 4 people

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