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Alcelaphus buselaphus ssp. tora 

Scope: Global
Language: English
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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Chordata Mammalia Cetartiodactyla Bovidae

Scientific Name: Alcelaphus buselaphus ssp. tora Gray, 1873
Parent Species:
Common Name(s):
English – Tora Hartebeest
Taxonomic Notes: Tora Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus tora) is one of eight subspecies of Hartebeest, following Gosling and Capellini (2013). The others being: Bubal Hartebeest (A. b. buselaphus); Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (A. b. lichtensteinii); Coke's Hartebeest or Kongoni (A. b. cokii); Swayne's Hartebeest or Korkay (A. b. swaynei); Western Hartebeest or Kanki (A. b. major); Lelwel Hartebeest (A. b. lelwel); and Red Hartebeest (A. b. caama).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) C2a(i) ver 3.1
Year Published: 2017
Date Assessed: 2016-07-26
Assessor(s): IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group
Reviewer(s): Cooke, R.
Justification:
Tora Hartebeest is listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) as the total population is estimated at less than 250 mature individuals and declining, and no subpopulation contains 50 or more mature individuals. Recent short surveys have failed to confirm their presence and this subspecies has not been seen for 15 years in any part of its range.
Date last seen: 1999
Previously published Red List assessments:

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:Tora Hartebeest formerly occurred in western and southwestern Eritrea, north-western Ethiopia and the adjacent border regions of Sudan (where it is now almost definitely extinct); they may survive in low numbers in the savannas of Eritrea and some inaccessible parts of Ethiopia, but there have been no reports for some 10-15 years and it is considered possibly extinct. there are no recent records from Eritrea (Mallon 2014, H. Yohannes, pers. comm 2013).

For the distribution map see the parent species assessment: Alcelaphus buselaphus.
Countries occurrence:
Possibly extinct:
Eritrea; Ethiopia; Sudan
Additional data:
Range Map:Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:The surviving number of Tora Hartebeest (if any) is unknown.
Current Population Trend:Decreasing
Additional data:
♦ Number of mature individuals:0-250♦ Continuing decline of mature individuals:Yes
♦ Population severely fragmented:No

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:More tolerant of woodland areas and high grass than other alcelaphines, Hartebeest (including Tora Hartebeest) prefer the edge to the middle of open plains (Estes 1991, Gosling and Capellini 2013) generally avoiding more closed woodland.
Systems:Terrestrial
Generation Length (years):7.5

Use and Trade [top]

Use and Trade: Hartebeest (including Tora Hartebeest) are hunted for food and sport and are particularly valued for their high-quality meat (Gosling and Capellini 2013).

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s): The main threats to Hartebeest in general, and including Tora Hartebeest, are agro-pastoral development and hunting.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions: Surveys are urgently required to determine the presence, distribution and status of the Tora Hartebeest in northwest Ethiopia and southwest Eritrea, as a precursor to the development and implementation of protective measures. No Tora Hartebeest are held in captivity.

Classifications [top]

2. Savanna -> 2.1. Savanna - Dry
suitability:Suitable season:resident 
3. Shrubland -> 3.5. Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry
suitability:Suitable season:resident 
4. Grassland -> 4.5. Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry
suitability:Suitable season:resident 
3. Species management -> 3.2. Species recovery

In-Place Research, Monitoring and Planning
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
In-Place Species Management
In-Place Education
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.3. Livestock farming & ranching -> 2.3.4. Scale Unknown/Unrecorded
♦ timing:Ongoing ♦ scope:Majority (50-90%) ♦ severity:Rapid Declines ⇒ Impact score:Medium Impact: 7 
→ Stresses
  • 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
  • 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
5. Biological resource use -> 5.1. Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals -> 5.1.1. Intentional use (species is the target)
♦ timing:Ongoing ♦ scope:Majority (50-90%) ♦ severity:Rapid Declines ⇒ Impact score:Medium Impact: 7 
→ Stresses
  • 2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
1. Research -> 1.2. Population size, distribution & trends
2. Conservation Planning -> 2.1. Species Action/Recovery Plan

Bibliography [top]

Estes, R.D. 1991. The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores and Primates. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, USA.

Gosling, L.M. and Capellini, I. 2013. Alcelaphus buselaphus Hartebeest. In: J. S. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann (eds), The Mammals of Africa, pp. 511-526. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, UK.

IUCN. 2017. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2017-2. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 14 September 2017).

Mallon, D. 2014. Eritrea Reconnaissance 2013: Trip report. IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group and Zoo Landau in der Pfalz.
Citation: IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group. 2017. Alcelaphus buselaphus ssp. tora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T810A50180985. . Downloaded on 22 September 2017.
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