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Afrikaans Name: Koedoe
Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Statistics:
Height
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m
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53 - 59"
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(135 - 150cm)
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f |
50 - 53"
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(127 - 135cm)
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Weight
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m
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420 - 600lbs
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(190 - 270kg)
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f |
265 - 460lbs
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(120 - 210kg)
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Horn Length (m only)
RW min:
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53 7/8"
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(137cm)
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RW crt rec:
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73 7/8"
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(157,6cm)
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General: Kudu, with their long, spiralling horns, their white markings and heavy ‘beards’, are considered by many to be the most beautiful of all antelope. They are shy and usually skulk in dense cover. Nevertheless, they have adapted well to man’s presence, and can often be found living in close proximity to farmhouses, providing they have good cover and are not molested. Their colouring makes them difficult to spot when standing motionless in cover. They also have very keen hearing and scent, and there is nothing wrong with their eyesight, either. Stalk them silently. Stop often, for as much as several minutes at a time, to scan the bush all round. Often, a ‘frozen’ Kudu can be spotted by the flick of an ear.
Food: Mostly leaves and seed pods, but fresh, green grass is also taken.
Habitat: Most types of savannah country, provided there is good cover and permanent water.
Sounds: A loud bark.
Habits: During the breeding season a dominant bull gathers a hareem of five to ten females in his territory, defending it against rivals. Immature males may also be present in this group. After the breeding season, mature bulls form bachelor groups of a few individuals, three to five being the most usual.
In the dry season (Southern Hemisphere winter) Kudu will migrate to higher ground. One reason for this is that cold air collects in the valleys, and the hills are warmer than the valleys. The other reason, only understood in recent years, is that browsers like Kudu cannot remain in one area for long. The shrubs and trees browsed on raise their tannic acid levels, which makes their leaves indigestible. Even bush downwind of bruised vegetation picks up the scent of plant juices and raises its tannic levels. In the early days of game farming, this led to Kudu starving on small, fenced game farms!
Kudu can be difficult to hunt, but that adds to the attraction. When you succeed, you have a magnificent trophy, very tasty meat, and an attractive, durable hide. You will also know that you have earned your trophy!
Left: Young bull is only one or two metres into light scrub, yet already he is almost hidden. His two companions, two or thre metres further in, are almost invisible. Etosha. Right: Cows and calves at waterhole. Wankie (now Hwange).
Range: RSA, eastern and northern Botswana, the Kalahari of Namibia, Angola, Moçambique, Zimbabwe, south-eastern Zaire, Zambia, Malawi now doubtful, East Africa, north-eastern CAR, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia. 1Footnote:1. Rowland Ward recognises three sub-types (Southern Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros, East African Greater Kudu, T.s. bea, and Northern Greater Kudu, T.s. cottoni) based mainly on area of occurrence, as well as some small differences in size and colouration. But it is essentially the same animal. Horn length is greatest in the south and south-west of the continent and diminishes north and north-eastwards. Endnotes:For more photos see Mammals Gallery. Most pictures in our articles can be enlarged by simply clicking on the picture. Images are © Copyright Game and Gun (G Grohmann and H Grohmann). Images may not be used in any format without the written consent of Game and Gun. Click here to send us an email with your request and our licensing/royalty terms.
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