Swayne's hartebeest

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Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) is an endangered antelope native to Ethiopia. It is named after British officer H. G. C. Swayne.

Today, two of the largest remaining groups live in protected areas: Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Nechisar National Park, and Maze National Park. It is no longer found in Somalia.

Historically, it was common across Ethiopia and Somalia before the 1890s. A severe epidemic in the mid-1890s caused a sharp drop in its numbers and it has struggled since.

Swayne's hartebeest lives mainly in grasslands and eats short grass, usually no taller than about 30 centimeters. It tends to prefer burned grassland patches.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting its grassland habitat and maintaining the protected areas where the remaining populations survive.