Kudu
Kudu (Tragelaphus) are distributed widely in South Africa, and are common on game reserves, private game farms and even many commercial cattle farms.
The kudu is considered to be the most handsome of the tragelaphine antelopes, which include the bongo, eland, nyala, bushbuck and sitatunga.
Kudu, both the greater kudu and its close cousin the lesser kudu, have stripes and spots on the body, and most have a chevron of white hair on the forehead between the eyes. Greater and lesser kudu males have long, spiral horns; occasionally a female will have small ones.
Greater and lesser kudu males have long, spiral horns; occasionally a female will have small ones.
These beautifully shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, honey containers and symbolic ritual objects. In some cultures the horns are thought to be the dwelling place of powerful spirits, while others regard them as a symbol of male potency. The horns are seldom used in defence against predators; nor are they an impediment in wooded habitats - the kudu tilts the chin up and lays the horns against the back, moving easily through dense bush. Kudu weigh between 120-315 kg (males: 190-315 kg and females: 120-215 kg), with a height of between 122-150 cm (males) and 100-140 cm (females).
