Topi

One of the most common ungulates over many African grasslands until the early 1900s, the topi (Damaliscus jimela) has now gone extinct in much of its former range and remaining populations continue to decline. It is the rise of cattle-based human societies in its habitat which has resulted in the retreat of many extant topi populations. Known for its distinctive sentry position on termite mounds as it surveys its range, the topi has a short, glossy, brown coat with a bold pattern of black patches, and fawn coloured underparts and legs. Most of the subspecies also have a purple sheen, black face masks, and black patches on the upper limbs. Both sexes have strong, deeply ringed, S-shaped horns.