Balbok
The mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni ) or balbok is an antelope found in high altitude woodland in a small part of central Ethiopia. It is a monotypic species (without any identified subspecies) first described by English naturalist Richard Lydekker in 1910. The males are typically 120–135 cm (47–53 in) tall while females stand 90–100 cm (35–39 in) at the shoulder. Males weigh 180–300 kg (400–660 lb) and females weigh 150–200 kg (330–440 lb). The coat is grey to brown, marked with two to five poorly defined white strips extending from the back to the underside, and a row of six to ten white spots. White markings are present on the face, throat and legs as well. Males have a short dark erect crest, about 10 cm (3.9 in) high, running along the middle of the back. Only males possess horns.
The mountain nyala are shy and elusive towards human beings. Four to five individuals may congregate for short intervals of time to form small herds. Males are not territorial. Primarily a browser, the mountain nyala may switch to grazing occasionally. Females start mating at two years of age, and males too become sexually mature by that time. Gestation lasts for eight to nine months, after which a single calf is born. The lifespan of a mountain nyala is around 15 to 20 years.
The typical habitat for the mountain nyala is composed of montane woodlands at an altitude of 3,000–3,400 m (9,800–11,200 ft). Human settlement and large livestock population have forced the animal to occupy heath forests at an altitude of above 3,400 m (11,200 ft). Mountain nyala are endemic to the Ethiopian highlands east of the Rift Valley, between 6°N and 10°N. Up to half of the total population of the mountain nyala occurs in the 200 km2 (77 sq mi) area of Gaysay, in the northern part of the Bale Mountains National Park. The mountain nyala has been classified under the Endangered category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Their influence on Ethiopian culture is notable, with the mountain nyala being featured on the obverse of Ethiopian ten cents coins.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Mountain nyala is an antelope that can be found only in a small part of central Ethiopia. Its coat is grey to brown in color, marked with two to five poorly defined white strips extending from the back to the underside, and a row of six to ten white spots. White markings are present on the face, throat, and legs as well. The sensitive ears of these antelopes are large and lined with white hair. Males have a short dark erect crest, about 10 cm (3.9 in) high, running along the middle of the back. Only males possess horns with only one or two spirals; their horns may grow up to 188 cm (74 in) in length.
Mountain nyala are native to the Ethiopian highlands east of the Rift Valley. They inhabit montane woodlands and often visit the edges of montane grasslands.
Mountain nyala are shy and elusive animals, especially towards human beings. They spend the night on the edges of forests, feeding part of the time. To avoid human disturbance, they choose to navigate at night. They come out in the morning and late afternoon to browse in grasslands. They generally seek cover in woodlands and heather thickets when it is very hot or cold. They tend to come out when it is overcast or raining. In the dry season which occurs between November and March nyala travel up to the wooden areas that are rich in ericaceous heath. These antelopes usually congregate in small groups of 4-5 individuals for short intervals of time to form small herds. Female and juvenile groups have adult females accompanied by a calf of her previous year and another of the current year. Bachelor herds are formed by non-dominant adult bulls and young males, consisting of up to 13 individuals. Old bulls tend to lead a solitary life, though they may occasionally visit female herds. Males are not territorial. Though usually silent, Mountain nyala may "cough" noticing a potential threat, or utter a low bark if the threat is more serious.
Mountain nyala are herbivorous (folivorous, graminivorous) animals. They are primarily browsers but may switch to grazing occasionally. They feed on low-height herbs, bushes, shrubs, and general foliage. They might even eat lichens, ferns, and aquatic plants. Grasses are especially preferred during the early wet season. They pick up fallen leaves and use their horns to reach higher branches.
Mountain nyala are polygynous meaning that they don't form pairs and males mate with more than one female. These antelopes breed throughout the year, but the peak usually occurs in December. During the breeding season there to four males may seek a single female, and, if equally ranked in the hierarchy, they may engage in circling displays. In these displays, the males move very slowly and stiffly, with the crest on the back erect and the tail raised. They do not engage in aggressive fights, and if they happen, they last only for a brief period. After the gestation period of 8 to 9 months, the females give birth to a single calf. Newly born calves remain in cover for the first few weeks after birth and then remain close to their mothers for nearly 2 years. The young females may get pregnant by then. The young males, as they mature by 2 years, are challenged by other males and driven out of their herds.
Major threats to the survival of the Mountain nyala include illegal hunting, habitat destruction, encroachment by livestock, predation of calves by dogs, expansion of montane cultivation, and construction at high altitudes. The animal is extensively hunted for its horns and meat.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Mountain nyala is 1,500-2,500 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...