Hartebeest

Hartebeest, common name for a species of African antelope, characterized by a long, narrow head, shoulders higher than the hindquarters, and a cowlike tail. The curved, ringed horns, which are present in both sexes, do not grow directly out of the sides of the head but arise from a short central horn. Adults are 110 to 150 cm (3 ft 7 in to 4 ft 11 in) high at the shoulder and are brownish-gray, with black markings on the face and a white or yellow patch on the rump. Hartebeests are keen-sighted, fleet-footed animals that can outdistance the fastest horses. They feed on grass and inhabit open plains or dry desert regions, being capable of going without water for several weeks at a time.

Scientific classification: The hartebeest belongs to the family Bovidae. It is classified as Alcelaphus buselaphus.