General: A slender, rather long-legged animal of a grey-brown colour, sometimes showing a mauvish tint in certain light. Colours do vary somewhat with area. The long face has a black blaze, and there are black patches on the shoulders and upper parts of the legs. Some animals show a hint of brindling on the neck and sometimes also on the shoulders and front of the chest.

High shoulders, back slopes down to rump. This is less pronounced in young animals. Both sexes have ringed, crescent-shaped horns, curving outwards. The tips are smooth and point slightly inwards.

Often confused with the Red Hartebeest, which does, however, have a red colouring. Horns also differ, the Red Hartebeest having  thick, upright, narrowly spaced, crooked horns, rising from a pronounced pedicle, while the Tseesebe has thinner, more widely spread and evenly curving horns and lacks the high pedicle. Another difference is in the way the tail hair grows: while the Hartebeest has a bushy tail, hairy from the rump down, the Tsessebe's tail has long hair only on the lower half of its rear edge, making it look like a dusting brush.

Tsessebes are much more difficult to hunt than Red Hartebeeste, as they are not as trustig and because of their much better eyesight. As is the case with all grazers, the meat is very palatable.

Food: Exclusively grass. Adapted to dry areas and can go without water for long periods. Will drink regularly where water is available.

Habitat: Dry open plains, savannah and dry scrubland.

Habits: Close cousin of the Red Hartebeest, with which they are most often confused. They are not as gregarious as their red cousins, occurring in small family parties of three or four animals, or small herds up to ten or twelve. In dry conditions they band together in larger herds of up to 40 animals or so. Breeding herds consist of a herd bull, one or more females and a few immature animals. They are often found in the company of Blue Wildebeeste (Brindled Gnu) and/or Zebra. Old bulls may band together in small groups but are more often found in Gnu or Zebra herds. Conversely, old Wildebeest bulls are often found with Tsessebes.

Tsessebe have acute sense of smell and hearing, and unlike their red cousins also have excellent eyesight. They are  the fastest antelope in Africa, running at a graceful gallop, which they can keep up for great distances. When frightened, they have been timed at speeds of up to 70 kmh{footnote} The Indian Black Buck can reach 80 kmh and the North American Pronghorn gets up to 90 kmh. The latter is not an antelope, however.{/footnote} Their speed and endurance has worked in their favour in the past, and they survived in many areas where other game was shot out. However, like the Red Hartebeest and many other antelope, they have lost much of their habitat to changing land use.

Usually graze early in the morning and late afternoon/evening. Lie up in shade during the heat of the day. Like the Hartebeest, they are inquisitive and will often stop after running a short distance and look back, even turning arround and approaching again for a closer look. However, because of their better eyesight and more cautious nature, they will not come as close as Hartebeeste.Tsessebe also often post sentries, and these, too, like to take their position on top of some rock or large termite hill.

Sounds: A sneezing snort, uttered when thay are puzzled by something and also used as a warning signal.

Range: from Angola in the west through Botswana, northern RSA and the KNP, to Moçambique in the east, up through Zimbabwe to Zambia and Tanzania.

Endnotes:
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