Roan

Type:
Mammal
Order:
Artiodactyla
Diet:
Herbivorous
Size:
1.4m at the shoulder
Weight:
Bulls weigh 270kgs, cows are smaller and weigh between 170 to 210kgs.
Habitat:
Grassland and open savanna
Lifespan:
17 years
Protection Status:
Least Concern
General Background:

• The roan antelope is one of Africa’s largest bovids, only exceeded in size by the African buffalo and eland. It has a grey or brown coat, a black-and-white clown-like facemask—that is darker in males than females—and long, tasseled ears. Both sexes have backward-curving horns, although they are shorter in the females. 
• Roan antelopes do not like variety.
  They prefer to graze on grass but will occasionally also feed on shrubs, herbs, and Acacia tree pods. They must drink regularly and inhabit areas where water is easily accessible. 
• They can have violent tempers.
  While they do not have fixed territories, dominant males will exclude others from a 500-mile radius around its herd, consisting of anywhere from six to 20 females and young. When two adult males encounter each other, it is common for them to fight for dominance of their herd. They brandish their horns, run forward, and drop to their knees while clashing their large horns together. 
• They play hide-and-seek with their young.
  Roan antelopes breed year-round, but births are more common during the rainy season. When the calf is born, its mother conceals it in tall grass and does not wander too far from it.