Nyala is an antelope native to Africa. There are two species – the lowland nyala found in southern Africa, and the mountain nyala endemic to Ethiopia. The male lowland nyala has spiral horns and a shaggy mane. It exhibits sexual dimorphism – males are larger than females. Nyalas inhabit woodlands and thickets. They are agile with graceful movements. Kudu is similar but larger. Nyalas feed on leaves, fruits and flowers. The mountain nyala is endangered with under 2500 left. The lowland nyala population thrives in reserves like Kruger National Park. The name Nyala has linguistic roots and cultural symbolism about the link between humans and nature.
Are nyala endangered?
The mountain nyala lives in Ethiopia. There are fewer than 2,500 left. They live from 3,000 to 4,200 meters high. The lowland nyala lives in southern Africa. The mountain nyala is endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
The males are taller. They are shy. They don’t show territory behavior. Females start breeding at two years. Gestation is nine months. They use their horns to defend themselves. Human settlement has displaced them to higher ground.
Nyala habitat ranges from woodland to grassland. They spend the dry season in woodland and bush. The rainy season is spent in grasslands. Their speed reaches 30 miles per hour. They have scent glands and camouflaged young.
IUCN classifies the mountain nyala as endangered. They are on Ethiopian coins. For communities they have cultural significance. Their lifespan reaches 10-12 years. They have adapted to varied habitats.
The males are larger with twisted horns. Their coats are darker than females. Loss of habitat and illegal hunting threaten them. Their horns are targeted.
They are similar to antelope. They live in mountainous Ethiopia. The males are usually taller. Both sexes are shy of humans. They graze in peace. Gestation is nine months. Horns are used for defense. Settlement has displaced their habitat.
What do nyala eat?
The male nyala has charcoal grey fur. Weighing around 92 kg to 126 kg and standing at 110 cm, the nyala has a mane of thick, black long hairs.
Male nyala weigh 220 to 300 kilograms. Females weigh 55 to 150 kilograms. Nyala live in small groups of females and offspring. Males are solitary. Nyala lifespan is 10 to 12 years in the wild.
The nyala antelope feeds on leaves, shoots, fruits and herbs. Their diet consists of leaves from various plants, tender shoots and twigs, and new growth of trees, shrubs and bushes.
The nyala is a spiral-horned antelope native to southern Africa. First described in 1849, its body length is 135–195 cm, and it weighs 55–140 kg.
Male and female nyala differ significantly in appearance. Males are larger and are covered in charcoal grey fur with tan lower legs, ears and foreheads.
What does a nyala sound like?
The common name of this antelope is derived from the traditional Zulu word for the animal, inxala. Bulls have a striking, charcoal-grey to brownish, shaggy coat, marked with white stripes vertically running down their bodies, are spotted on their flanks, and have white chevron-shaped faces. The mountain nyala is considered endangered. During the dry season, T. buxtoni spends time in woodlands, heath, and bush. During the rainy seasons, time is spent at lower elevations in grassland areas. The male Nyala weighs 98–125 kg, while the females weigh 55–68 kg. The nyala is notable for its extreme gender differences and specialized habitat preferences that limit its distribution to the Lowveld of southern Africa. Although they are non-territorial, they do have overlapping home ranges. The female nyala is considerably smaller than the male. The chestnut-coated female has no horns nor does it have manes or fringes of hair. It has a prominent presence of white stripes on their backs and down the flanks with most females having 18 of these vertical stripes. Nyalas are they dry land version of the sitatunga and only found in the southeastern parts of Africa. The Nyala is a spiral-horned antelope that looks like a hairy version of the sitatunga antelope. The Nyala antelope is sexually dimorphic, with males being significantly larger than females.