An African antelope whose males and females differ markedly in appearance.
Females and juveniles are rusty brown, while adult males become slate-gray. Males have spiraling horns and a long fringe beneath the chest and belly.
Males and females choose different foods.
A 2013 study at Buffelsdrift Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Southern Cape found that males selected more shrubs, while females selected more dwarf shrubs. Males especially favoured Pappea capensis and Portulacaria afra; females favoured Limeum aethiopicum and Zygophyllum lichtensteinianum. Their habitat use also differed: females tended to use open dwarf-shrubland, while males used denser vegetation. The researchers suggested that different nutrient needs could help explain these choices. However, the availability of plant species also differed between the sexes, so the distribution of food may have contributed to the feeding patterns. The study took place at one reserve outside the species’ natural range.
IUCN Red List (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group) · Least Concern (LC) · Global
The global IUCN Red List category is Least Concern (LC). Based on the 2016 IUCN assessment, the global population was estimated at about 36,500, with a generally stable or increasing trend. A 2025 regional assessment for South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho also lists the species as Least Concern and reports a stable regional trend. Protection and sound management help maintain populations. Outside its natural range, however, nyala can degrade vegetation and contribute to declines of native bushbuck. The regional assessment recommends regulating introductions beyond the natural range and continuing protection and management within it.