Beatragus hunteri (Sclater, 1889)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-779 : 654

151.

Herola

Beatragus hunteri

French: Hirola / German: Hirola / Spanish: Hirola

Other common names: Hirola, Hunter's Hartebeest

Taxonomy. Damalis hunter: Sclater, 1889 ,

North side of Tana River, Kenya.

Although “Hirola” is the spelling of the common name most often used today, Sclater in 1889 originally spelled it “Herola” after the Oromo name. Monotypic.

Distribution. E Kenya (between the Tana andJuba rivers, on the N bank of the Tana River it extended as far N as Garissa), and in W Somalia N to the Lag Der region inland from Afmadu.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 164-200 cm, tail 36-45 cm, shoulder height 95-125 cm, ear 19 cm; weight 73-118 kg. Smaller and lighter than a hartebeest, with a more horizontal back. Horn length 45-61 cm (males) and 35-50 cm (females). The horns are not raised on a pedicle; they are slender and lyrate with long upright tips. The pelage is tawny, often with rufous tones, tending to darken with age, especially in males; the forehead, withers, dorsum, and lower segments of the limbs are darker. The underparts are whitish-tawny, the inside of the ears and most of the long tail are white, and the terminal tuft of the tail is mixed white and black. There are two partial narrow white eye rings, connected by an inverted white chevron across the face.

Habitat. The natural habitat is semi-arid (average annual rainfall 300 mm), with scattered shrubby grasslands and wooded grassland with Commiphora—Acacia and Dobera—Salvadora communities. In Tsavo East National Park, Herola have been introduced to fairly open short-grass habitat, similar to that which they formerly inhabited north of the Tana River.

Food and Feeding. The diet is predominantly green grasses; 24 species have been recorded in Tsavo, 21 of which are grasses; three are forbs that are eaten only in the rainy season. The main grasses eaten are Panicum infestum, Digitaria rivae, Latipes senegalensis , and Cenchrus ciliaris. All except L. senegalensis are sought after and selected well above their occurrence in the general area. These grasses tend to grow especially around anthills. The grass height averages about 17 cm. The Herola crop their preferred species 5-9 cm from the ground and crop other, less-preferred species as much as 16 cm from the ground. The grasses selected have a high leaf-to-stem ratio, and of the less-green species only the leaves are eaten.

Breeding. There is little specific information available for this species, except that in Tsavo, where it has been introduced, recruitment has been low.

Activity patterns. There is little specific information available for this species, except for the tendency of non-herd individuals to associate with other species, especially Grant's Gazelles ( Nanger granti).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. In Tsavo East, no territorial behavior has been reported. The social structure appears to be of one male with 2-6 adult females and their young; some females and solitary males, including subadult males, typically associate with Grant's Gazelles or zebras, and some adult males form temporary bachelor groups of two or three individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List. By 1996, the range of the Herola in Kenya had shrunk to about 42% ofits former extent. The population in Somalia is probably extirpated, and that in Kenya had declined to about 1500 by 2002. Twenty were introduced into Tsavo East National Park in 1963, and the number had increased to 76 in 1999. The low rate of population growth may be because of low genetic variability and/or predation. Thirty more animals were translocated in 1996. In 1994,it was classified as Endangered, but in 1996 it was reassessed as Critically Endangered.

Bibliography. Andanje & Ottichilo (1999), Butynski (2000), Dahiye & Aman (2002), Kingdon (1982), Roosevelt & Heller (1914).

Figures

On following pages: 147. Swayne's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus swaynel); 148. Kongoni (Alcelaphus coki); 149. Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii); 150. Red Hartebeest (Alcelaphus caama); 151. Herola (Beatragus hunter).

Distribution. E Kenya (between the Tana andJuba rivers, on the N bank of the Tana River it extended as far N as Garissa), and in W Somalia N to the Lag Der region inland from Afmadu.