The nyala (Nyala angasii or Tragelaphus angasii), also called inyala, is a South African spiral-horned antelope. It is a species of the family Bovidae and genus Nyala. It is also considered to be in the subgenus Tragelaphus. It was first described in 1849 by George French Angas. The body length is 135–195 cm (53–77 in), and it weighs 55–140 kg (120–310 lb). It is the most sexually dimorphic among the spiral-horned antelopes.
Mainly a herbivore, nyala feeds upon foliage, fruits and grasses, with adequate fresh water. It is uncomfortable in open spaces and is most often seen at water holes. Nyala do not show signs of territoriality, and individual areas can overlap each other. Nyalas are shy and very cautious creatures. Old males live alone, but single sex or mixed family groups of up to 10 individuals can be found. These inhabit thickets within dense and dry savanna woodlands.
It is native to Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Nyala has been introduced in Botswana and Namibia, and reintroduced in Swaziland, where it was extinct since the 1950s. Its population is stable and it has been listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Read more...
You
All comments, criticism and tips for improvements are (as always) welcome.
Me on TWITTER & iFolio
Facebook Page
PAPPU | PHOTOGRAPHY
Friday, July 27, 2012
The Nyala, a South African spiral-horned antelope
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment