Hartebeest, << HAHR tuh `beest,` >> is a large African antelope. It has a brown or reddish-brown coat, with paler hair on the rump and chest. Hartebeests grow from 31/2 to 5 feet (1.1 to 1.5 meters) high and weigh from 220 to 500 pounds (100 to 225 kilograms). The females are smaller than the males. Both the females and the males have curved horns. There are several varieties.
Hartebeests live in open or lightly wooded areas, where they feed on many kinds of grasses. They run rapidly and can easily outrun a lion or a horse. They typically travel in small groups but sometimes gather in herds of 300 or more. Many animals hunt hartebeests, including cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, and lions. Human beings also hunt hartebeests.
Hartebeests were once found throughout the grassy plains of Africa, but most now live in limited areas south of the Sahara. Some populations have become scarce.
