Use the clues in this order
Anchor the size
Compare the animal with an impala, kudu or wildebeest you already know. Allow for distance and young animals.
Read the rear view
Look for an impala’s black M, a waterbuck’s white ring, a black wildebeest’s pale tail or a blesbok’s plain dark rump.
Describe the horns
Record straight, spiral, swept-back or hooked shapes. “No horns seen” is valid because females or young may be hornless.
Use habitat last
Water edge, open grassland or woodland can strengthen a match, but animals move—habitat should not overrule visible marks.
Quick comparison
| Possibility | Most useful visible clues |
|---|---|
| Impala / Rooibok | Medium, tan, black rump M; males have lyre-shaped horns. |
| Waterbuck / Waterbok | Large and shaggy with a bold white rump ring. |
| Blue wildebeest | Blue-grey, dark shoulder bands and dark tail. |
| Black wildebeest | Dark body, pale flowing tail and forward-curving horns. |
What to do when the clues conflict
Keep the report at a broad level, retain the original photograph and describe the features you saw. A careful unresolved record can be reviewed later; a guessed species can mislead everyone who follows it.
Never leave a vehicle where prohibited, approach a nest, play a call repeatedly, surround an animal or delay traffic to get a better identification.