Battle of the Bovids: Round 1

They're both critically endangered, both come from specialized habitats, and their homeland is the Dark Continent. Vote as if their fate is in your hands!

Mountain Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci)

Photo credit: Rare Species Conservatory Foundation

Giant Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger variani)

Photo credit: Pedro Vaz Pinto

 

I voted for Giant Sable because there are none in captivity and also because of the fact that they are so majestic. I've seen the taxidermy mounts in Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago but want to see a live one or a whole herd someday. I'm surprised Angola hasn't let any come to the US. Fossil Rim, San Diego WAP, or The Wilds would be a great place to start a ex-situ captive herd to ensure its survival.

For anyone interested in the history of the Giant Sable read A Certain Curve of Horn: The Hundred-Year Quest for the Giant Sable Antelope of Angola by John Frederick Walker. Its a great read!

 

I voted for the giant sable because of memories from zt2 with it, it’s lack of representation in captivity, and it’s a more majestic antelope in my opinion (although I was very tempted to pick bongo due to the colors).

 

Giant sable because its a really beautiful looking antelope, and zero zoos have them.

 

I'm planning on making a ZT2 video about them, and the Bongo indeed comes very close because of the rich chestnut color and white stripes, plus the fact that they're larger than Greater Kudu. The big bull in the photo above fittingly named "The Rock" weighs over 1,000 lbs.

 

I voted for the Bongo, as they are one of my favourite species of antelope. And also they can give knees to a knee less member of this forum

 

A bit of a unfair matchup if you ask me, but I have to go for the giant sable as they're not in captivity and I'd love to see this animal. Especially since sable antelopes are my favourite species of antelope

 

I'm confused about what is being voted on here... is this like the last match-up where we choose which one we'd rather see? And if so...

...why such dramatic stakes?

 

SDZSP tried once, but received kirkii animals instead. That subspecies is still endangered as well so it would have been nice if a population took off but alas those animals died off probably well over a decade ago now.

~Thylo

 

Sarus what is your Youtube channel? I'd like to see that sable antelope video.

 

Indeed, I'd think we would all like to know.

 

I haven't started screen recording it yet. I plan on making it look as good as possible so that requires creating a storyline and then creating the sets in which to screen record and then compiling all those clips into a vid. I just updated my profile which gives a link to my channel. Enjoy!

 

I wanted to create a scenario in which one of the two had to go extinct which one Zoochatters would prefer to save and prevent its extinction. I would never want anything to go extinct but also wanted to see which species has a higher percentage of support.

 

Yeah, I figured this was going to be a hard one for everyone.

 

Well under those extreme circumstances in which one species has to go Extinct completely I'll vote for the Bongo to survive. I don't know much about the antelope but the Bongo is likely to be the more evolutionarily distinct taxa while there are other Sable Antelopes native to Angola.

~Thylo

 

I'm gonna have to go with the bongo. I'm just not the biggest fan of sables.

 

I really like sable, but I'm obsessed with the bongo, easily in my top 5 species.

And with my vote being the 30th, we're tied, 15-15!

 

which one tastes best?

 

I have officially changed my vote to the sable antelope.

@Pootle bongo probably tastes better because sable has those giant horns

 

Why does the poll last until March?