the Elenantilopen is widespread in five subtypes in Africa south from the Sahara. Two races in the north of the spread-area become especially big: this west - and the Ostsudanesische Riesenelenantilope. its shoulder-height amounts until 1,90 m, its weight reaches up to 1000 kg. The smaller races reach "only" one shoulder-height of 1,75 m and a weight of 1000 kg.
Physique The Elenantilope is the biggest of all antelopes, it has a massive, but however narrow body. its fur is reddish - until tawny, in southwest-Africa more gray. There, also the fur of the adult animals is ungestreift. The other races carry vertical, white strips on the other hand. The animals have a neck-mane, that male a forehead-mop of hair, with which Riesenelenantilopen is enough, the dewlap of the chin from, with the smaller races from the throat from until between the front-legs. The tail is long, with dark Endquaste. The females are smaller altogether, its horns are weaker. The horns are spirally turned.
Habitat Elenantilopen hits one in dry thornbush-forests, more frequently in the Mopanewald (a light, undergrowth-poor forest with good grass), in open savannas and even at the timberline of the mountain-forests at.
The timberline in that region is marked through extended continuances of the tree-heath (Erica Arborea). About the Kilimandscharo, tracks of the Elenantilope were still found in 4700 m of height. On the plateau between the two summits of this mountain, Elenantilopen are to be found regularly. Snow falls in these heights every night.
The Riesen-Elens prefer dense forest. its occurrence is tied at the existence of water. The smaller Elenantilopen can be thirsty a for few days without impairment.
Way of life Elenantilopen hike through its wide precinct as herds of 20-60 animals under leadership of 1 or 2 bulls. they socialize yourself with zebra-stoves, horse-antelopes and individual ostriches occasionally. its hikes partially follow the offer at water and food: During the rain-time, they stand predominantly in the grass-savanna, in the dry-time against it more in thornbush and Mopanewäldern. In severe drought, herds of several hundred animals join together. There are also bachelor-herds, that consist of "kicked the ball out" bulls, who could not form any herd, beside it.
Elenantilopen like to dig in the mud or mud with the horns. The mud gathers on that occasion in the forehead-mop of hair of the bulls. This mass then is used for the marking the precinct by the antelopes. This behavior is known from many other ruminants as well.
Elenantilopen can jump despite its massive body well, off the cuff, they leap up over 2 m. The escape of the Elenantilopen is introduced with some huge jumps, with what an animal jumps without further over another.
Elenantilopen behave very shyly in wide sharing of its spread-area. its eyesight doesn't seem to only too well be. Smell and hearing are however so efficient that Elenantilopen recognize a danger already from big distance. In East-Africa's savannas, one much more rarely than essentially smaller and more inconspicuous types sets eyes on wild Elenantilopen.
The voice is a snort or grunt. Elenantilopen let it rarely heard.
At rival-fights, the bulls with the broadside impress against each other. The rival-fight consists of a forehead-pressure, with what the superior pushes away its opponent. The Forkeln with the horns normally doesn't occur.
Reproduction As a combination-prelude takes place with the forest-bucks also with Elenantilopen. The brünstige cow drives the bull in that it extends the head and puts the neck over its back. The Brunft is not tied at a season. After a Tragzeit of approximately 255 days, a calf is placed.
The young is an Ablieger. The mother defends it against cheetahs and hyenas through hits with the runs. Elenmütter tolerate foreign boy or the own one from the previous year at its udder.
Food Elenantilopen are more foliage - as a grass-glutton. Young acacias and Mopane-Blätter, that are picked up despite its hardness and its turpentine-smell, belong to its normal food. If fresh grass sprouts in the rain-time, also that is a sought-after feed. Onions dig out the animals with its claw-hooves. Furthermore, they eat wild melons and other fruits. Elenantilopen developed a remarkable technology to break off branches with help of its horns in order to reach the foliage.
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