Animal of the Day!

Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus)

(Photo from Outdoors International)

Conservation Status- Least Concern

Habitat- Central and Southern Africa

Size (Weight/Length)- 300kg; 100 cm

Diet- Grasses; Shrubs

Cool Facts- With ears nearly as long as their massive horns, few predators are willing to take a roan antelope down let alone get close enough to try. Essentially being the same size as a small horse, these antelopes are the bodybuilders of Africa’s antelopes. An adult roan antelope can run up to 60 kilometers per hour. When outrunning fails, a herd of up to 35 adults will turn onto their attacker and show off what their 100 centimeter long horns can do. In combination with some of the largest hooves found on an antelope, lions fear adults. Roan antelope typically stick to open grassland but several herds have moved into the denser rainforests of central African.

Rating- 11/10 (Goofy ah ears.)