Ithala Game Reserve
KwaZulu-Natal · Year-round
1 place
Wildlife
Tsessebe
Damaliscus lunatus
The common tsessebe or sassaby is one of five subspecies of African antelope Damaliscus lunatus of the genus Damaliscus and subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in KwaZulu-Natal~65 records
Curve from 725 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Limpopo and beyond
Provinces where Tsessebe is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
725 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Tsessebe
Stays that give back
Across KwaZulu-Natal
Ithala (Ntshondwe)
Ithala Game Reserve
From R 130a night
Tsessebe recorded here
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The Midlands
Next stop
Rolling green hills, dairy farms, and pottery studios
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Tsessebe
Hosts have recorded the Tsessebe at stays in or beside Ithala Game Reserve.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ithala | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Damaliscus lunatus
Records
725
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Tsessebe on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Tsessebe in KwaZulu-Natal?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Tsessebe at stays in or beside Ithala Game Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Tsessebe in South Africa?
The Tsessebe is most recorded in Limpopo (47% of records), Northern Cape (20% of records), North West (19% of records), based on 725 iNaturalist observations. 1 place to stay on Spekboom in KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the Tsessebe on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Tsessebe?
The Tsessebe is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Ithala Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Tsessebe?
The Tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Tsessebe?
The common tsessebe or sassaby is one of five subspecies of African antelope Damaliscus lunatus of the genus Damaliscus and subfamily Alcelaphinae in the family Bovidae. It is most closely related to the topi, korrigum, coastal topi and tiang (all subspecies of Damaliscus lunatus), and the bangweulu tsessebe and bontebok in the same genus.