The sable antelope is a handsome antelope with very large horns; mature bulls have a glossy black coat with white on the face and undersides, while cows and young are dark brown. Sables feed mostly on grass and live in savannah woodlands, moist woodlands and vleis, and they can be seen on a Kruger Park safari.
Name
Sable Antelope
Appearance
The Sable is a very handsome antelope with a glossy dark coat with white undersides and face. Cows and young are dark brown while mature bulls are black. Sables have very large horns that can be up to 1.2m long. The horns on a female are shorter and slimmer than those of a male. The Bulls weigh 270kg and stand up to 1.4m tall at the shoulder. These animals share some similarities to the Roan Antelope.
Diet
The Sable has a diet that consists mostly of grass. They prefer Speargrass, red grass as well as panicum and urochloa. They also feed on various sedges that can be found around water sources. These animals generally eat grass of medium height. They are also known to chew on bones they encounter in the fields to help counter phosphorous deficiency.
Breeding
Cows become sexually active at around 3 years and will usually have their first calf at the age of 3. The Sable has a gestation period of 270 days and gives birth to a single calf. Cows hide their calves in tall grass for the first two weeks before taking it into the herd. They are weaned at 8 months.
Behaviour
Sable Antelope are active during the early hours of the day and also the late afternoons. The Sable is a gregarious animal that has a large variety of herd sizes. During calving season, pregnant cows form small groups that are separate from the main herd, young and non breeding members. Herds congregate on moist vleis during winter. Territorial bulls will expel the younger mature bulls from the herd when they reach sexual maturity. Sable Antelopes are always worthwhile to see during a Kruger Park Safari.
Habitat
These antelope prefer the savannah woodlands as well as moist woodlands and vleis because of the medium height grass available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a sable antelope eat?
Mostly grass, especially speargrass, red grass and panicum, as well as sedges found around water sources. Sables are also known to chew bones they find in the field to help counter phosphorus deficiency.
How long are sable antelope horns?
Up to 1.2 m. Both sexes carry horns, but a female’s horns are shorter and slimmer than a male’s, and mature bulls, which weigh 270 kg, are black rather than dark brown like the cows.
How long is a sable antelope pregnant?
270 days. The sable gives birth to a single calf, which the cow hides in tall grass for the first two weeks before taking it into the herd, and calves are weaned at 8 months. Cows usually have their first calf at about 3 years old.
Do sable antelope live in herds?
Yes — sables are gregarious and live in herds of widely varying sizes. During calving season pregnant cows form small groups apart from the main herd, and territorial bulls expel younger bulls when they reach sexual maturity.
When are sable antelope most active?
Sable antelope are active in the early hours of the day and again in the late afternoon. During winter, their herds congregate on moist vleis.
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