Roan Antelope: A Rare and Powerful Antelope of East Africa’s Woodlands

The roan antelope is one of Africa’s largest antelopes, a powerful, horse-like animal with backward-curving horns and a striking black and white face. In East Africa it is uncommon and thinly spread, so a sighting is a real prize for experienced safari travellers.

Identification

Roan stand up to about 1.5 metres at the shoulder, with a greyish-brown or strawberry-roan coat, a short upright mane and long, tufted ears. The face has a bold black and white mask. Both sexes carry ridged horns that curve backwards, shorter than those of the related sable antelope. Sable are darker, the males jet black, with much longer horns.

How it lives

Roan live in small herds of females and young, led by a dominant bull, with young males forming bachelor groups. They prefer open woodland with tall grass and need access to water. They are selective grazers, avoiding short, heavily grazed grassland, which is one reason they are sensitive to competition from other grazers and to changes in their habitat. When threatened, roan can be aggressive, defending themselves with their horns.

Where to see roan

• Tanzania: the miombo woodlands of the west and south, including Katavi, Ruaha and Nyerere, and occasionally the far northwest of the Serengeti. Sightings are infrequent everywhere.
• Kenya: very rare; a small population survives in the Ruma National Park area near Lake Victoria.
• Uganda: very rare, with a small population in Lake Mburo and the north.

Looking for roan

Because roan are so scarce, they are best treated as a bonus rather than the main goal of a trip. A safari to the southern and western parks of Tanzania, which also offer sable, greater kudu and wild dogs, gives the best chance. Read our guides to the sable antelope and Katavi National Park.

Big Five Wildlife planning team

We plan private safaris across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, and write from time spent in these parks.