The Speedster with a Serious Face

Looking like it was designed by a comic book artist in a hurry, the Red Hartebeest is one of Africa’s funkiest antelope. Long narrow snout? Check. Backward-sweeping horns? Check. Reddish coat with black racing stripes? Absolutely.

But this oddball isn’t just for show—it’s built for speed. Red Hartebeest can hit 55 km/h, zigzagging like a pro to escape predators. That funny-shaped head? It’s aerodynamic. Those muscular legs? Pure power.

Both sexes carry horns, though the bulls’ are beefier for head-to-head combat. When territorial males get fired up, they mark their domain with dung piles and take their stand—often from a high point like a termite mound, like some kind of red-coated king of the hill.

They form small herds, usually up to 30 animals, grazing on grasses in open plains and semi-arid savannas. With poor eyesight but a fantastic sense of smell and hearing, they stay alert, twitchy, and ready to bolt at the drop of a twig.

Red Hartebeest may look a little weird—but in the African bush, weird works. They’re fast, fierce, and impossible to mistake for anything else.