LUANDA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 giant sable antelopes have been spotted in a single area of Cangandala National Park in Angola's northern Malanje Province, marking a record for the conservation area, the Angola Press Agency (ANGOP) has reported.
Citing a statement from Angola's Ministry of Environment, ANGOP said on Monday that the sighting set an unprecedented record for the park and offered signs of recovery for the endangered species.
After decades of population decline and the threat of extinction, the gathering of more than 200 giant sable antelopes in one area is seen as a positive sign for the species' conservation in Cangandala National Park, according to the report.
The giant sable antelope, one of Angola's most iconic national symbols, appears on the country's currency, passports and the national football team's kit, and serves as the emblem of the national airline TAAG.
The species has been under international protection since 1933, when it was placed under the Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in their Natural State.
Data released by Angola's Kissama Foundation in 2019 showed that there were around 200 giant sable antelopes in the country at the time. ■