Of the 8 subspecies of hartebeests described in Africa, the Red Hartebeest is the only one which occurs in South Africa.
The name Hartebeest was once thought to refer to the heart shaped curve of the horns. The accepted theory now is that the common name "hartebeest'" is derived from the Afrikaans hertebeest. The Dutch word hert means deer and beest translates to beast. The term hartebeest was used by the early Boers who thought the animals looked like a deer.
Distinctive features of the hartebeest that can be used to distinguish it from other antelopes include long legs (often with black markings), short neck, unusual horn shape, pointed ears, long face with black blaze, large chest and sharply sloping back.
Hartebeest live between 11 and 20 years in the wild, and up to 19 in captivity.
(All pics taken in KTP)
