Hartebeest

These large, ungainly-looking antelope favour open grasslands, wooded savannas, and floodplain margins, where they graze selectively on coarser grasses and gather in loose herds that often include a sentinel standing atop a termite mound or elevated ground, scanning for predators. Look for the distinctive long, narrow face, steeply sloping back, and bracket-shaped horns present on both sexes, and listen for the sharp snort-and-stamp alarm display that typically precedes a herd's erratic, stiff-legged flight. The best observations come during the cooler, dry-season mornings when herds are most active, feeding in the open before midday heat drives them to seek shade — golden-hour light also makes it easier to distinguish herd structure and spot territorial bulls standing apart from the main group.