Roan Antelope
Hippotragus equinus
🦌
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Pecora
Bovidae
Hippotragus
Hippotragus equinus
The Roan Antelope — Hippotragus equinus is one of Africa’s most striking and powerful antelopes, known for its robust build, backward-sweeping horns, and bold facial markings. Found in savannas and lightly wooded grasslands, this species embodies the strength and endurance of the African plains.
Description
The roan antelope is among the largest of African antelopes, standing up to 1.4 meters at the shoulder and measuring about 2.5 meters from head to tail. Its coat is a glossy reddish-tan, with lighter underparts and a dramatic black-and-white mask across its face. Both sexes bear long, ringed horns that curve gracefully backward, reaching up to a meter in length.
Hippotragus equinus thrives in open grasslands with scattered trees, favoring areas near permanent water sources. It forms herds of up to 20 individuals led by a dominant male, and despite its stately appearance, it is fiercely territorial — males engage in impressive horn duels, kneeling and clashing like armored knights.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
260
1.5
2.25
2.6
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Grazers
Hunt History
Ancient humans have long encountered the roan antelope, both as a source of food and as a figure in rock art across Africa. Prehistoric hunters used spears and coordinated drives to capture them at waterholes or open plains. In later millennia, the roan’s hide and horns became prized materials for tools and ornaments. Its depiction in early Saharan petroglyphs attests to its symbolic status in prehistoric Africa.
Archaeological Evidence of Human Interaction:
Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria — c. 6000 BCE: rock art depicting large antelopes resembling Hippotragus equinus.
Kalahari Basin, Botswana — c. 4000 BCE: remains of butchered roan antelope in early hunter-gatherer camps.
Lower Nile Valley, Sudan — c. 3000 BCE: roan antelope bones found in early pastoral settlements, suggesting hunting or early management.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Extant
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
0
BP
Late Pleistocene
Africa
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
6
Est. Renderable Fat
15.6
kg
Targeted Organs
Hump/backfat, marrow, mesenteric fat
Adipose Depots
Hump/backfat, mesenteric, perirenal; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Hump/backfat & marrow
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
4