The korrigum (''Damaliscus lunatus korrigum''), also known as Senegal hartebeest,
[ is a subspecies of the ]topi
''Damaliscus lunatus jimela'' is a subspecies of topi, and is usually just called a topi. It is a highly social and fast type of antelope found in the savannas, semi-deserts, and floodplains of sub-Saharan Africa.
Names
The word ''tope'' or '' ...
, a large African antelope.[
]
Taxonomy
An 1822–1824 British expedition across the Sahara to the ancient kingdom of Bornu, returned with single set of horns of an antelope known in the language of that land as a ''korrigum''.[ These horns were classified as a new species by ]William Ogilby
William Ogilby (1805–1873) was an Irish-born zoologist who was at the forefront of classification and naming of animal species in the 1830s and served as Secretary of the Zoological Society of London from 1839 to 1847. He removed to Ireland ...
in an article in the journal ''Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London
The ''Journal of Zoology'' is a scientific journal concerning zoology, the study of animals. It was founded in 1830 by the Zoological Society of London and is published by Wiley-Blackwell. It carries original research papers, which are targeted ...
'' dated 1836, but published in 1837.[
]
Description
Korrigan were said to differ from the tiang subspecies based on the tail tuft being more bushy, and the pelage
Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily #Guard hair, guard hair on top and thick #Down hair, underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as ...
being more reddish. In the tiang, the patches of dark hair on the legs were said to be somewhat larger. In the Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (french: Congo belge, ; nl, Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
Colo ...
, a topi was shot in the 19th century which is intermediate between these two.[
]Morphometric
Morphometrics (from Greek μορϕή ''morphe'', "shape, form", and -μετρία ''metria'', "measurement") or morphometry refers to the quantitative analysis of ''form'', a concept that encompasses size and shape. Morphometric analyses are co ...
ally, korrigan and tiang were found to be indistinguishable.
Range and conservation
Korrigum formerly occurred from southern Mauritania
Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
and Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
to western Chad, but has undergone a dramatic decline since the early 20th century because of displacement by cattle and uncontrolled hunting for meat. In 1998 the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
SSC Antelope Specialist Group claimed the species no longer occurs in Mauritania, Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
, Senegal and the Gambia
The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...
, they probably no longer occur in northern Togo
Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
, Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
or western Chad, except as vagrants. The IUCN copied the same text in their 2008[ and 2016 assessments.][
Based on a 2004 estimation of the population of two national parks,] Waza National Park
Waza National Park is a national park in the Department of Logone-et-Chari, in Far North Region, Cameroon. It was founded in 1934 as a hunting reserve, and covers a total of . Waza achieved national park status in 1968, and became a UNESCO biosp ...
and Pendjari National Park
The Pendjari National Park (french: Parc National de la Pendjari) lies in north western Benin, adjoining the Arli National Park in Burkina Faso. Named for the Pendjari River, the national park is known for its wildlife and is home to some of the ...
(and associated parks), the resident population in these two parks was estimated at maximally 2,650 animals. Based no that, the conservation status of the taxon
In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
was assessed as ' vulnerable' by the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
in 2008, because it was deemed as uncertain whether the species will experience a population decline of 20% in the next two generations (14 years).[ In 2016, based on the exact same 2004 information, but using new definitions of assessment statuses which now subtract a significant portion of this National Park population under the assumption that these are not mature adults, the IUCN now claimed the animal was ']endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...
'.[
The 2004 population number used by the IUCN in 2016 is not the total population, but the IUCN claims that 95% of the total population occurs in these two parks.][ The 95% claim appears to be a misreading of the 2004 report, in which it is stated that an estimated 95% of the range of the antelope in the country of ]Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
is estimated to fall within protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
s.[ There was a large fall in population number in Waza NP before 2007. In 2013 korrigum were also found to continue to exist in northeast ]Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
.[
Topi populations have also continued to occur in ]Zakouma National Park
Zakouma National Park is a national park in southeastern Chad, straddling the border of Guéra Region and Salamat Region. Zakouma is the nation's oldest national park, declared a national park in 1963 by presidential decree, giving it the highes ...
in Chad
Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
, as well as in the surrounding game hunting blocks outside the park, where they have been growing. The topi here are called korrigan[ or tiang,] and have been assigned to the subspecies ''tiang''.[
There are also large populations in the Niwa area bordering the ]Bouba Ndjida National Park
Bouba Njida National Park is a national park of Cameroon. A total of 23 antelope species occur in the park. The painted hunting dog, ''Lycaon pictus'', had been observed in Bouba Njida National Park at the start of the 21st century. This population ...
in Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
, as well as throughout the park itself.
References
Further reading
Damaliscus
Mammals of West Africa
Mammals described in 1837
Bovids of Africa
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