About the Nyala
The nyala is a graceful, medium-sized antelope native to the dense woodlands and thickets of southeastern Africa. Famous for their elusive nature, these herbivores are most active at dawn and dusk, navigating thick brush near permanent water sources while feeding on leaves, twigs, fruits, and grasses.
These antelopes are best known for exhibiting one of the most extreme cases of sexual dimorphism in the animal kingdom. Adult males are significantly larger, boasting shaggy slate-grey to dark brown coats, a striking white dorsal crest, and elegant, loosely spiraled horns. In contrast, females and young juveniles are a bright chestnut color, lack horns, and feature prominent vertical white stripes on their sides for camouflage in the dappled forest light.
Because they are incredibly shy and cautious, nyalas rely heavily on their excellent hearing and smell to detect predators like lions, leopards, and wild dogs. When danger approaches, they often communicate using a sharp, high-pitched bark that sounds much like a dog. They are also highly observant of their environment, frequently taking cues from the alarm calls of other nearby animals like baboons and monkeys.
Description of the Nyala
The nyala is a medium-sized African antelope known for exhibiting some of the most extreme sexual dimorphism in the animal kingdom. Males and females look so distinctly different that they were originally thought to be separate species.
- Height: 35–43 inches at the shoulder
- Weight: 121–276 lbs.
- Key Traits: Spiral horns on males only, striking vertical stripes, and a shaggy dorsal mane.
- Coloring: Dark brown to slate-grey, sometimes with a bluish tinge.
- Horns: Long, gracefully spiraled horns with yellow or ivory tips. They generally reach 24–33 inches in length.
- Mane: Features a shaggy mane of hair running down the back from the head to the tail, as well as a prominent fringe of long hair along the chest and belly.
- Stripes: Possesses 10 or more vertical white stripes on the flanks. These often fade or disappear as the males age.
- Coloring: Bright rusty or chestnut-red.
- Stripes: More prominent, bright white vertical stripes and spots on their sides, which they retain throughout their lives.
- Horns: None.
- Size: Noticeably smaller and sleeker than males, weighing roughly half as much
Suitable Weapons
Any long range cartridge from 6.5 mm up to any of the .30 caliber rifles will work great.
Hunting Area
You can hunt the Lowland Nyala in South Africa (specifically KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape), Zimbabwe (the Lowveld and Zambezi Valley), and Mozambique (the Sand Forests).
Top Destinations
- KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: This is the ancestral home of the nyala. The region—particularly around the Mkuze and Hluhluwe areas—produces the largest trophy bulls in Africa.
- Zimbabwe (Savé Valley Conservancy, Zambezi Valley): Offers excellent free-range hunts in dense, wild riverine bush.
- Mozambique: Known for producing excellent, free-range trophies in remote, indigenous environment.
You can also hunt nyala in high-fenced hunting preserves in Texas.
