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The Nyala, or Inyala (Nyala angasii or Tragelaphus angasii), is a spiral-horned antelope. The males are highly demanded as game animals in South Africa. Both sexes have white stripes all over their bodies but the males are a much darker brown colour compared to the light caramel-brown of the female Nyala.Only the male Nyala’s have horns. Adult males are also much larger than females. Their gestation period is about 8 months.
• Lifespan of the average Nyala is about 19 years.
• They are most numerous in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
•The juvenile males look like females and often spectators are confused
Thorough preparation is the key factor to ensuring a high-quality final product. All hides are tanned and oiled using the world’s very best available chemicals and processes to ensure permanence and longevity.Forms are selected to ensure the best fit and posture will be altered to suit you, the client’s preference without additional cost. Natural habitat bases are custom-made for full mount trophies without additional cost.Only the finest materials and 40 years of professional experience are used in defining your trophies in a whole new way. The final trophies are almost Life-Formed. When the restoration is required, every effort is made to repair cuts and abrasions, and to minimise bullet damage. Natural scarring is kept unless otherwise requested.
The Nyalas habitat lies in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya and Botswana. They prefer dense woodlands and thickets near watering holes.The Nyala feeds by both grazing and browsing and feeds on leaves, fruit and flowers. During the rainy season they feed upon grass and they often stay near watering holes as they need a regular intake of water.
Nyalas, also known as Tragelaphus angasii or Nyala angasii, are a species of antelope with medium size and spiral horns. They’re bigger than bushbucks and smaller than kudus. Adult Nyalas are between 135 and 195 centimetres in height. A male Nyala can weigh between 98 and 125 kilograms, while a female Nyala is between 55 and 68 kilograms. The typical lifespan of a Nyala is 19 years.
Female Nyalas and juveniles are distinguished by their rusty or rufous-brown fur. As male Nyalas age, their coats darken to a slate grey or dark brown. The adult male’s coat may occasionally take on a bluish hue. The Nyala’s most eye-catching quality is the white stripes along its back. Female and young males alike have ten or more white stripes running vertically down their bodies. Spots of white can be seen on their faces, throats, sides, and legs. While juvenile males typically have many white stripes, adult males typically have fewer, if any at all.
Both sexes also share the same white chevron pattern between their eyes. Their bushy tails measure between 40 and 55 centimetres. There is a crest of hair that extends from the back of a Nyala’s head all the way down to the tip of its tail. There is an additional row of hair on a male’s chest and stomach. Nyala males are distinguished by their horns, which range in length from 60 to 83 centimetres and are tipped with a bright yellow colour. The horns only have a minor bend in them.
Being primarily a nocturnal feeder, the best times of day to go hunting for Nyala are first thing in the morning and late in the day. The large bulls usually only emerge from their forested dens at dusk. Hunting on foot for Nyala requires you to be in an area where they are regularly spotted.
The most common method of hunting a Nyala is by driving around in search of an animal. You can often find them soaking up the sun on a chilly winter morning.
After scouting the area by car, foot, or from a vantage point above a canyon valley, you must carefully plan your approach, taking into account factors like wind and cover. Due to their habit of staying close to the edges of forests and bushes, most shots at Nyala are taken from relatively close range. Keeping your prey in sight is essential, as they are likely to vanish into the underbrush, particularly as the day wears on.
They belong to the family of spiral horned antelope, and only the males of the species have horns. Horns that are parallel at the top or kick out in a bell shape indicate a high-quality trophy Nyala. As they age, bulls’ coats turn from brown to black.
Nyala hunting requires good expanding bullets. Rifles under.270 are unsuitable, but a.270 with a powerful bullet and careful shot placement will work. The various 30 calibers would lock your Nyala better. Shot placement is crucial: straight up the foreleg approximately one third into the body, never above the half mark, will get the high heart/lung shot that works so well. The hanging body hair makes that one third hard to evaluate, so don’t shoot too low.
We want the appearance and texture of our nyala taxidermy products to be as authentic as possible to the real world. Planning ahead is the first step in every endeavour in taxidermy that is sure to be successful. We use our 40 years of industry experience and the highest quality materials currently available to produce trophies that will be cherished for decades.
Each of our forms has been meticulously chosen to offer a secure fit, and if necessary, we will even alter the posture at no added cost to you. Our full-mount nyala trophies come with free bases that are themed after natural habitats and were built specifically for the trophy. The restoration process entails reducing the amount of damage caused by bullet holes and repairing abrasions if it is feasible. Unless otherwise specified, the animal’s scars will be left in the same place they were in before.
If you want the best possible trophy, you need to get off to a good start. The success of each subsequent phase in taxidermy relies on the high standard of the skin preparation performed beforehand.
Having hair fall out or skin break down are the two biggest detriments to a trophy cape or hide. The first step is to skin the trophy as soon as possible, then apply salt on the skin to avoid hair slippage. Skinning your trophy in the veld? Get it out of the sun as soon as possible. Getting rid of the intestines speeds up the cooling process for the carcass.
Under no circumstances can the animal be dragged on the floor. Clearly mark your prized trophy. Any extra meat or fat should be cut away once the skin has been removed. Wait 30 minutes before salting.
Soaking the skin in salt water for at least five hours and ideally overnight is recommended. Spread two centimetres of salt on the skin and put it in the shade to dry. After waiting 24 hours, shake the salt off and hang the cape to dry. It should be folded with the hair and ears facing in when it is dry enough to be packed.
Life-Form Taxidermy will replicate the skin to your requirements. We spend a lot of time in consultation to understand the client’s goals for the final outcome.
The finest chemicals and methods are used to tan and oil the skins, ensuring their longevity. Each skin is fit-tested on a manikin. A professional stitches the skin after aligning the eyes and ears. The taxidermist waits till the animal is totally dry before finishing.
Light dusting maintains mounts. Use a feather duster to remove dust, then wipe in the hair direction with a damp towel. Style the hair naturally without pulling or stretching. The Medix Africa product will ensure that your trophy remains in pristine condition. This item is used and sold by Life-Form Taxidermy.
Avoid direct sunlight for your mounts as it will fade the animal skin. Sunlight will age your trophy’s hide and rack.
The quantity of trophies ordered, their condition, and any repairs will decide the ultimate price. Request a quote.
The process can take anywhere fro a few weeks to 18 months.
