Is The Roan Antelope The Largest Antelope In Africa?
No, the roan is second to the eland as the largest antelope in Africa. Thickset and powerful, a roan bull antelope can attain a body mass of 270 kg or more but is usually no more than 140 centimetres at the shoulder. The roan antelope may appear to be larger than it really is due to the shagginess of its coat around the neck and the large backward curving horns that both sexes possess. Dark brown with a strong lighter coloured undercoat, the roan antelope’s attractive coat is made up of thick, coarse hair. Its face is heavily banded by dark hair in a “W” shaped arrangement; giving the impression the antelope is wearing a bridle. The female roan antelope’s horns are noticeably shorter and more slender than those of the male roan antelope. The roan antelope appears to prefer basalt plains and lightly wooded savanna with medium to tall grasses.
