Animal Description:

The hartebeest is a large, fawn-colored antelope. Their most distinctive characteristics are a steeply sloping back, long legs, and elongated snout. They are one of the more highly evolved ungulates and are very sure-footed. They are one of the fastest antelopes and best endurance runners capable of reaching speeds of up to 43 miles per hour. These qualities gave rise to their name, which means “tough ox.” Hartebeest are social animals and live in organized herds of up to 300 animals, and have been known to move in groups of up to 10,000 animals, and are mainly found in medium and tall grasslands, including savannas.