Tsessebe

Scientific name: Damaliscus lunatus
Common name: Tsessebe
Afrikaans: Basterhartbees
Setswana: Tshesebe

Description

Hartebeest-like in general appearance, with a long face and sloping back. Upperparts dark reddish-brown with a distinct purplish sheen. The head, lower shoulder and upper parts of the legs are darker in colour than the rest of the body. The lower part legs are brownish yellow, with a pale fawn tail base and inner thighs. The black tassel on the end half tail. Bulls are darker than cows. Both sexes have horns, lyrate and ringed except at the tip.

Habitat

Open savanna woodlands with adjacent grassland and surface water. Prefer shorter grass and areas where there is good visibility at head height and therefore do not do well in grass, dense scrub or bush.

Diet

Grazers, that select leaves over stems, prefer fresh growth and are attracted to burned areas. Preferred feeding height is below 60cm, down to 5 – 10 cm. Prefers medium-length to long grass.

Behaviour

Small herds of 5 or 6 individuals but sometimes number up to 30 or more, especially near water or favourable grazing. Larger numbers gather on the grazing. A territorial bull maintains a defended area, within which the cow and young animals live permanently. Groups of young males form fluid bachelor herds that circulate around the perimeter of established territories, usually with access to less favourable grazing. Territory-holding bulls mark their territory with heaps of dropping and facial-gland secretions. Females also horn the ground, smear mud on themselves and mark with preorbital gland secretion, but less frequently than the bulls. Territorial possession is advertised by standing prominently on a patch of raised ground. Trespassers are challenged by head shaking and rearing up. Fights involve horn clashing with the combatants going down onto their knees and at higher intensity, locking horns and wrestling.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List: Least concern. SA Red Data Book Endangered.

References

1. Peter Apps, Mammals of Southern Africa, A Field Guide (2012) Page 205-206
2. Madelein J Grundlingh, Africa’s Mammals, Discovering 101 Species (2010) Page 116-117