The rainforests of Africa and the Savanna grasslands are home to many majestic animals. Some of them are considered endangered, while others are still present in significant numbers.
Regardless of the size of their population, the wildlife in Africa certainly has a lot to offer. But which are the biggest African animals with horns? Let’s find out.
Popular African Animals with Horns
Check out below all the details about the 8 African animals who have horns.
1. Nubian Ibex
It stands at 65 to 75 centimeters tall and uses its horns by smashing them into male competitors during a fight.
Also referred to as the screwhorn antelope, the Addax used to be an inhabitant of the Sahara desert in Africa. This antelope stands at 105 to 115 centimeters tall.
This African animal has horns that have swirling teeth, kind of like a screw. It is nearly extinct in the Sahara desert now.
You might find the Addax in zoos, however. This is because it thrives well in a captive environment.
3. Scimitar-Horned Oryx
The Scimitar-Horned Oryx or the Sahara oryx is a type of buffalo. It used to roam the savannah grasslands in huge herds before and was found to be quite widespread.
However, it has been hunted down in significant numbers for its horns. It is an elegant and graceful creature that is currently extinct in the wild. It only exists in zoos now.
It has a white coat with a red and brown chest. You’ll find black markings on its forehead and nose. As far as size is concerned, the Scimitar-horned Oryx is not a huge animal. However, its horns can extend to four feet.
4. Giant Eland Antelope
The Giant Eland is found in Central Africa. It has a body length of 220 to 290 centimeters. This makes it the biggest antelope in the world. Among the many African animals with horns, the Giant Eland is also known for its stylish horns.
A Giant Eland’s horns carry thread variation. It has swirls that are tighter near the head of the antelope but straighten out as you reach the tips.
5. Sable Antelope
This antelope is found in the savannah grasslands of Southern Africa. It looks similar to the Roan antelope. It is also the national animal of Zimbabwe. I
t has a body length of 190 to 255 centimeters and stands at 114 to 140 centimeters tall. It has ringed horns which starting arching backward once they reach a particular length.
6. Nyala Antelope
The Nyala is a medium-sized antelope found in southern Africa. It carries an impressive set of horns that are used mainly to display power and authority during a fight.
It has a body length of 135 to 195 centimeters. Its population size is fairly stable and you’ll find this antelope in Malawi, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique.
The Gemsbok antelope is found in the desert areas of Southern Africa. It is part of Oryx genus. Among the many African creatures with horns, the Gemsbok Oryx is known for both its beauty and its size.
It stands at 1.2 meters tall and has a body length of 190 to 240 centimeters.The Gemsbok has a spectacular pair of horns that go up to 85 centimeters.
Males tend to have thicker horns, while the females have longer and thinner horns. You can also find the Gemsbok showcased on Namibia’s coat of arms.
8. Roan Antelope
The Roan antelope are mainly found in Southern, Central, West, and East Africa. As mentioned above, it looks similar to the Sable antelope. It inhabits the grasslands and woodlands of Savanna.
It has a body length of 190 to 240 centimeters and stands at 130 to 140 centimeters tall. This places the Roan antelope among the largest species of antelopes.
It is named after the reddish brown color of its coat and has ringed horns. The horns curve back more strongly in males than they do in females. Female horns are also smaller in size and carry fewer rings.
There are several impressive African animals who have horns. Unfortunately, a lot of them are hunted either as a game or because their horns are considered valuable.
However, with increasingly stringent laws in place regarding poaching and hunting of endangered animals, we can hope that at least some of these species are allowed to thrive again