The hyena is a shaggy, untidy and opportunistic carnivore with a distinctive, sloping back. It is a member of the dog family, weighing around 60 kg (males can be heavier) and standing at about 80 cm at the shoulder. The spotted hyena hunts and scavenges by night and is closely connected in African folklore with the supernatural world. Anyone who has heard the sound of hyenas in full cry around midnight would understand the animal’s association with the dark arts.
The Gemsbok is a large antelope of striking appearance with long, spearlike horns. It has a thick, horselike neck with a short mane and a compact, muscular body. A defined pattern of black markings that contrast with the white face and fawn-colored body are prominently displayed in dominance rituals to emphasize the length of horns and strength of the shoulder.
In spite of its heavy physique, eland are remarkably agile and large bulls can easily jump over regular fences. They have a slight hump at the shoulders and prominent dewlap. The heavy horns of both sexes slant backwards and lengths of as much as one metre have been recorded. Females are much smaller, weighing about 450 kilograms. Males have a patch of dark hair on their foreheads that covers glandular skin. Both males and females have fawn coloured coats. They also have faint vertical white stripes on their flanks, which are distinctive to the eland.
