NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



THE SABLE ANTELOPE 



(Hippotragiis nigcr) 



Zwart-wit-pens of the Boers ; Impalampala of Zulus and Swazis ; 

 Potoquani of Southern Bechuana ; Solupe of Masarwa Bush- 

 men ; Qualata inchu of Bamangwato and Makololo ; Umtjieli 

 of Matabele ; Palahala of Basuto ; Impengo of Masubia ; 

 Ukwa of Makuba ; Pala-pala of Makalaka ; Kwalata n'tso 

 of Barotse ; Qualata Tshumu of Ngami ; Mperembi of Chilala 

 and Chibisa ; Kantanta of Chila. 



The Sable Antelope, which is known to the Dutch- 

 speaking colonists as the Zwart-wit-pens, inhabits 

 Africa from German South-West through western 

 Bechuanaland, and the northern portions of the 

 Transvaal to Mozambique, and northwards as far 

 as British East Africa on the eastern side and Angola 

 on the west. Although common both east and 

 west in the bush country and Game Reserves of 

 the Transvaal, it does not exist south of the Crocodile 

 River. 



This handsome antelope associates in herds of 

 six, eight, ten, twenty to fifty individuals, con- 

 sisting usually of one adult bull and the rest cows, 

 immature males and calves. The other adult males 

 which have failed to vanquish the herd bull live 

 solitary or in groups of three or four. 



The Sable frequent districts thinly covered 

 with bush in which grassy valleys and small streams 

 are plentiful. When persecuted they retire to the 

 more thickly wooded districts which are usually 



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