Question 1

True or false: Nyala are crepuscular, resting during the hottest part of the day.

Accepted Answer

True. They are most active at dawn and dusk, avoiding midday heat by resting in shaded thickets.

Question 2

True or false: Male nyala have spiraled horns that can grow up to 30 inches long.

Accepted Answer

False. False. Male nyala horns can reach up to 33 inches (83 cm), longer than the stated 30 inches.

Question 3

True or false: Female nyala are larger and heavier than males, a rare reversal in antelope size.

Accepted Answer

False. Males are significantly larger, weighing up to 125 kg, while females are smaller, around 55–68 kg.

Question 4

True or false: Nyala antelopes are native to the forests of southern Africa, not eastern Africa.

Accepted Answer

True. Nyala are native to southern Africa, ranging from Malawi to eastern South Africa, not to eastern Africa.

Question 5

True or false: Nyala calves are born without spots, unlike many other forest antelope young.

Accepted Answer

False. Nyala calves are actually born with a camouflaged coat of spots and stripes, which fade as they mature.

Question 6

True or false: Nyala have a specialized gland on their hooves that leaves a scent trail for the herd.

Accepted Answer

True. They possess interdigital glands between their hooves that secrete a scent, helping them communicate and stay together in dense brush.

Question 7

True or false: The nyala's closest relative is the giant eland, found in open savannas.

Accepted Answer

False. Nyala are in the genus Tragelaphus with bushbuck and kudu as closest relatives. The giant eland, though in the same tribe Tragelaphini, belongs to a different genus and is not the nyala's closest relative.

Question 8

True or false: Nyala are the only antelope species where both sexes have vertical white stripes on their bodies.

Accepted Answer

False. Many antelope species, such as the greater kudu and bushbuck, also have both sexes displaying vertical white stripes on their bodies. Therefore, nyala are not unique in this trait.

Nyala Trivia Questions