Greater Kudu
Bull
Female
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Bovinae
Genus:	Tragelaphus
Species:	T. strepsiceros
Binomial name
Tragelaphus strepsiceros (Pallas, 1766)

The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and hunting.^[2]

Physical characteristics[link]

Anterior view of a male

Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish-grey to reddish-brown. They possess between 4–12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron which runs between the eyes.^[2]

Male greater kudus tend to be much larger than the females, and vocalize much more, utilizing low grunts, clucks, humming, and gasping.^{[citation needed]} The males also have large manes running along their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, which, were they to be straightened, would reach an average length of 120 cm (47 in), with the record being 187.64 cm (73.87 in).^{[citation needed]} They diverge slightly as they slant back from the head. The horns do not begin to grow until the male is between the age of 6–12 months, twisting once at around 2 years of age, and not reaching the full two and a half twists until they are 6 years old; occasionally they may even have 3 full turns.^[2]

Males weigh 190–270 kg (420–600 lb), with a maximum of 315 kg (690 lb), and stand about 180 cm (71 in) tall at the shoulder. The body length is 185–245 cm (6.07–8.04 ft). The tail is 30–55 cm (12–22 in) long. The ears of the greater kudu are large and round. Females weigh 120–210 kg (260–460 lb) and on average stand 120 cm (47 in) tall at the shoulder; they are hornless, without a beard or nose markings.

Subspecies[link]

Formerly four subspecies have been described, but recently only one to three subspecies have been accepted based on colour, number of stripes and horn length^[3]:

• T. s. strepsiceros, southern parts of the range from southern Kenya to Namibia, Botswana and South Africa
• T. s. chora, northeastern Africa from northern Kenya through Ethiopia to eastern Sudan, western Somalia and Eritrea
• T. s. cottoni, Chad and western Sudan

This classification was supported by the genetic difference of one specimen of northern Kenya (T. s. chora) in comparison with several samples from the southern part of the range between Tanzania and Zimbabwe (T. s. strepsiceros). No specimen of the northwestern population, which may represent a third subspecies (T. s. cottoni) was tested within this study.^[3]

Range and ecology[link]

Range of the subspecies of the greater kudu

Kudu in dense brush (Addo National Park)

The range of the greater kudu extends from the east in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea and Kenya into the south where they are found in Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. They have also been introduced in small numbers into New Mexico. Their habitat includes thick bushveld, rocky hillsides, dry riverbeds and anywhere with a constant supply of water.^{[citation needed]} They will occasionally venture onto plains only if there is a large abundance of bushes, but normally avoid such open areas to avoid becoming an easy target for their predators. Their diet consists of leaves, grass, shoots and occasionally tubers, roots and fruit (they are especially fond of oranges and tangerines).^[2]

Kudus at waterhole

During the day, Greater kudus normally cease to be active and instead seek cover under woodland, especially during hot days. They feed and drink in the early morning and late afternoon, acquiring water from waterholes or roots and bulbs which have a high water content. Although they tend to stay in one area, the greater kudu may search over a large distance for water in times of drought, in southern Namibia where water is relatively scarce they have been known to travel extremely long distances in very short periods of time.^[2]

Predators of the greater kudu generally consist of lions, leopards and hunting dogs. Although cheetahs also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a mature male, so usually go for the more vulnerable females and offspring. When a herd is threatened by predators, an adult (usually female) will issue a bark to alert the rest of the herd. Despite being very nimble over rocky hillsides and mountains, the greater kudu is not fast enough (and nor does it have enough stamina) to escape its main predators over open terrain, so instead relies on leaping over shrubs and small trees to shake off pursuers.^[2]

Life history[link]

Herd of kudu

Female greater kudus live in small herds of six to twenty individuals along with their calves, though males tend to be mainly solitary, they sometimes form bachelor herds that consist of 4 to 8 young males (sometimes with an older bull as well). Rarely will a herd reach a size of forty individuals, partly because of the selective nature of their diet which would make foraging for food difficult in large groups.^[2] A herd's area can encompass 800 to 1,500 acres (6.1 km²), and spend an average of 54% of the day foraging for food.^{[citation needed]}.

Fully mature males will often fight other males by interlocking their horns with the other until one of them admits defeat and gives in. In rare circumstances this can sometimes result in both males being unable to free themselves from the other's horns, usually resulting in the death of both animals. Females may sometimes ward off males by biting them, due to their lack of horns.^[2]

Kudu calf

Greater kudus reach sexual maturity between 1–3 years of age. The mating season occurs at the end of the rainy season, which can fluctuate slightly according to the region and climate. Before mating, there is a courtship ritual which consists of the male standing in front of the female and often engaging in a neck wrestle. The male then trails the female while issuing a low pitched call until the female allows him to copulate with her. Gestation takes around 240 days (or eight months).^[2] Calving generally starts between February and March, when the grass tends to be at its highest.^{[citation needed]}

Greater kudus tend to bear one calf, although occasionally there may be two. To begin with, the calf will wait for the mother to feed it, but later it will become more demanding in its search for milk, and after a few months even aggressive.^[2] For the first two weeks of a calf's life they hide where predators cannot find them. For four to five weeks after that they roam with the herd only during day. Males will become self-sufficient at 6 months old. Females become self-sufficient at around 1 to 2 years old.^{[citation needed]} Greater kudus may live up to 20 years of age when kept in captivity.^[2]

Human interaction[link]

Greater kudus have both benefited and suffered from interaction with humans; they are a target for hunters, possibly due to their habit of stopping to look behind them after bolting for cover, making them an easy target. Humans have also destroyed woodland cover which they use for their habitat. However, wells and irrigation set up by humans has also allowed the greater kudus to occupy territory which would have been too devoid of water for them previously.^[2]

The horns of greater kudus are commonly used to make Shofars, a Jewish ritual horn blown at Rosh Hashanah.

See also[link]

• Lesser kudu
• Kudu dung spitting

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tragelaphus strepsiceros

• The Nature Conservancy's Species Profile: Greater Kudu

lez:ЧIехи куду

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Male Kudu Eating

Male Greater Kudu

Female Greater Kudu

The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:

• Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis
• Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Etymology[link]

The name of the animal was imported into English in the 18th century from isiXhosa iqudu, via Afrikaans koedoe.

Habitat[link]

Lesser Kudus come from the savannas near Acacia and Commiphora shrubs. They have to rely on thickets for protection, so they are hardly ever seen in the open. Their drab brown and striped pelts help them disappear in scrub environments.

Behavior[link]

Like many other antelope, male kudu can be found in bachelor groups, but they are more likely to be solitary. Their dominance displays tend not to last long and are generally fairly peaceful, consisting of one male making himself look big by making his hair stand on end. When males do have a face-off, they will lock their horns in a competition to determine the stronger puller; kudus' necks enlarge during the mating season for this reason. Sometimes two competing males are unable to unlock their horns and, if unable to disengage, will die of starvation or dehydration. Males are seen with females only in the mating season, when they join in groups of 5-15 kudus, including offspring. Calves grow very quickly and at six months are fairly independent of their mothers.

Pregnant females will leave the herd to give birth to a single offspring. She will leave the newborn lying hidden for 4–5 weeks while coming back only to nurse it, which is the longest amount of time for any antelope species. Then the calf will start meeting its mother for short periods. At 3 or 4 months the calf will be with its mother constantly, and at about 6 months they will permanently join the group.

When threatened, the kudu will often run away rather than fight. Wounded bulls have been known to charge the attacker, hitting the attacker with their sturdy horn base rather than stabbing it. Wounded females can keep running for many miles without stopping to rest for more than a minute. They are great kickers and are capable of breaking a wild dog's or jackal's neck or back. They are good jumpers and can clear a 5-foot fence from a standing start.

Diet[link]

Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid and the natural sugars that they provide. The lesser Kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu.

Predators and threats[link]

Many predators, such as big cats, wild dogs, hyenas and pythons hunt kudu and their young. Kudu numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming.

Kudus were highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus (now eradicated after a vaccination program in domestic cattle), and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease reduced kudu populations in East Africa.

Kudus are highly susceptible to rabies in times of extended drought. They have been known to enter farm houses and other buildings when infected. Infected animals appear tame and have a distinct frothing at the mouth. They are fearless and bulls may sometimes attack humans who get too close to them.

Meat[link]

Kudu meat is similar to venison, with a slight gamey/liver-like flavor. It is a very dry and lean meat, so when cooked, it needs to be done carefully so as not to dry out the meat and make it difficult to eat. When prepared correctly, it can be very healthy because of its low fat content.^[1]

Use in music[link]

A kudu horn, used by Yemenite Jews as a shofar for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah

A kudu horn is a musical instrument made from the horn of the kudu antelope. A form of it is sometimes used as a shofar in Jewish ceremonies. It is mostly seen in the Western world in its use as a part of the Scouting movement's Wood Badge training program which, when blown, signals the start of a Wood Badge training course or activity.

A horn of this shape, when used by soccer fans, is called kuduzela (compare with vuvuzela).

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Tragelaphus strepsiceros at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Tragelaphus imberbis at Wikimedia Commons

• Kudu: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundationlez:Куду