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Animal profile

Sable Antelope

Hippotragus niger

MammaliaWooded savanna and miombo woodland with access to water and grassLeast Concern

Field profile

The sable antelope is a large, powerfully built antelope with long backward-sweeping ringed horns carried by both sexes. Bulls turn glossy black with age while cows and young remain chestnut. It grazes medium-height grasses in woodland and is known for defending itself vigorously against predators.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-05-03

Sable Antelope

Sable bulls darken to black as they age

A sable antelope is not born black. Calves are a plain reddish brown, and only mature bulls turn the glossy black that gives the species its name, with cows in many populations staying chestnut for life.

Read with evidence →

Sable Antelope | Daily Animal Facts