Where is the animal? Greater kudu. Range, habitats
- Class: Mammalia Linnaeus, 1758 = Mammals
- Infraclass: Eutheria, Placentalia Gill, 1872 = Placentals, higher animals
- Superorder: Ungulata = Ungulates
- Order: Artiodactyla Owen, 1848= Artiodactyls, artiodactyls
- Suborder: Ruminantia Scopoli, 1777 = Ruminants
- Family: Bovidae (Cavicornia) Gray, 1821 = Bovids
- Genus: Tragelaphus Blainville, 1816 = Woodland antelope
Greater kudu - Tragelaphus strepsiceros - distributed from Central and Eastern to South Africa. Kudu live in small groups, less often alone on wooded hills. They feed on grass and tree leaves. In adult individuals, the height at the withers is 1.3-1.5 m, the body length is up to 245 cm, and the weight is more than 300 kg. Females are smaller than males. Coloration ranges from reddish-gray to bluish-gray with white stripes on the sides. The males of these antelopes are very beautiful. They have brightly visible white stripes running along their reddish-brown body, and their heads are decorated with long massive horns, curved in the shape of a corkscrew - their length is on average 1 m (the record is 1.8 m), females are hornless. Along the underside of the neck from the throat to the belly there is a dewlap of long hair, and on the sides there are vertical white stripes.
KUDU BIG is a slender, large (up to 1.5 m high at the withers) antelope, delicate bluish or yellowish-gray in color, with narrow white transverse stripes on the sides, with a small mane and a dewlap of hard, elongated hair on the throat. The main decoration of the large kudu is its horns, twisted in a wide free spiral and reaching more than 1.5 m in length. Females, like other representatives of the genus, do not have horns.
The huge range of this antelope covers the Eastern, Southern and partially Central Africa, however, it is quite rare in most areas. In general, the big kudu is not one of those antelopes that you can often find.
It prefers hilly and mountainous terrain with rocky soil, but also lives on the plain. Everywhere it stays very secretive. An indispensable condition for his life - dense thickets bushes. The second condition is accessible watering holes, when these dry up during the dry season, the great kudu makes long-distance migrations. It tolerates human agricultural activities much more easily and, being an excellent jumper, overcomes fences 2-2.5 m high without much effort.
Usually kudu lives in small herds of 6-10 (occasionally 30-40) heads. The herd consists of females with calves and young, immature males. Before the rut, old bulls live alone or form groups of 5-6 individuals. Greater kudu graze at night or in the morning and evening hours. The watering hole is scheduled for the same time. The food consists almost exclusively of leaves of various shrubs, and only in dry periods do animals eat bulbs and rhizomes. There is no information about marking individual areas to which kudu is very attached, although there are observations that old males sometimes rub their cheeks on the bark of trees or on stones. It is possible that this is due to the leaving of odorous marks. It is also possible that the role of “claim posts” is played by shrubs broken by horns, which are often found in kudu habitats.
During mating season, male greater kudu join herds of females. At this time, intense rivalry arises between males, manifested in frequent fights. It is not uncommon for two old males to become so locked in their spiral horns that they can no longer free themselves. The threat pose of the great kudu is peculiar: the animal stands sideways to the approaching enemy, lowering its head low and arching its back. If the enemy tries to get around him, the antelope turns sideways towards him again. However, when attacking, the male always changes position and turns his horns towards the opponent.
Mating is also preceded by a special ceremony. The male, approaching the female, takes an impressive pose: he turns sideways to her with his head held high, facing the the opposite side. If the female is not in the mood to accept courtship, she cools the male’s ardor with a strong blow to the side. Otherwise, she runs away, provoking pursuit, during which the male, while running, puts her head and neck or one of the horns on her back and tries to stop her. When this fails, the male tries to bend the female’s neck to the ground with his neck.
Pregnancy in the greater kudu lasts 7-8 months; Cubs are usually born during the rainy season, but in some places, such as Zambia and Southern Rhodesia, newborns are seen throughout the year. A newborn kudu hides in a secluded place where the mother comes to feed him. When alarmed, the kudu's voice is a dull, distantly audible bark, similar to a cough. Among the predators, the large kudu is attacked by lions, leopards, and hyena dogs. Young and females often fall prey to cheetahs. The great kudu, with its striking horns, has always been the most coveted trophy of European and American sport hunters.
The African continent supports rich wildlife through its deserts, savannas, vast valleys and forests. Africa is home to the largest land animal ( African elephant) and the tallest animal (giraffe) in the world. But there are many other interesting African animals that you need to know about. For example, Top 10 amazing animals found only in Africa.
Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
photo Harvey Barrison flickr.com
Interesting facts about the great kudu
The Greater Kudu is an amazing antelope that is native to Eastern and Southern Africa. It lives in savannah forests and rocky slopes.
This is one of the longest-horned antelopes in the world. The impressively curled horns are found only on male kudu. Their horns can be up to 1 meter long with 2 and 1/2 twists. Males use their long horns for defense against predators.
Males have a body length of 2 to 2.5 meters and weigh up to 315 kg. Females are smaller than males. Their length is 1.85-2.3 meters, and their weight is up to 215 kg.
Greater kudu have a brown-gray coat with 5-12 vertical white stripes. They also have a distinctive white stripe between their eyes.
These antelopes are social animals. Females form groups that contain up to 25 individuals. Males join groups only during the mating season.
This one is more close-up view Antelope mainly feed on leaves, grasses, fruits and flowers. IN wildlife Great kudu live up to 7 years, and in captivity, they can live more than 20 years.
Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Interesting facts about ostriches
Non-flying birds, ostriches are the largest birds in the world. They have a length from 2 to 2.7 m and weigh up to 160 kg. Ostriches are found in the savannas and desert lands of Central and Southern Africa.
Ostriches are also known as "camel birds" because they can withstand high temperature and live for a long time without water.
The soft and smooth feathers of adult male ostriches are black and their tail is white. In contrast, females have gray-brown feathers. The neck of ostriches is long and bare.
With powerful long legs, ostriches can reach maximum speed 69 kilometers per hour. Each ostrich's foot has very sharp claws. Their legs are powerful enough to kill a person with one blow. Ostriches use their legs as their primary weapon for defense against potential predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas.
Ostriches live in small herds of 10-12 individuals. 15 cm in length is the size of the most big eggs in the world that ostriches lay. These huge birds They are omnivores and they feed on leaves, roots, seeds, lizards, insects and snakes. Ostriches also swallow pebbles and small stones to grind up food in their stomach.
Okapi (Okapia johnstoni)
Interesting facts about okapi
is the only remaining relative of the giraffe in the world. They are found only in tropical forests Republic of the Congo. The most noticeable feature of okapi is their striped markings, which make them similar in appearance to zebras.
Okapi is one of the most endangered. Habitat loss and hunting are the main threats to this amazing species.
Okapi can reach 2.5 meters in length and weigh between 180 and 310 kg. As a member of the giraffe family, okapi also has a relatively long neck. The coat color is reddish-brown with zebra-like stripes on the hind and forelimbs. This helps okapi easily hide in dense forests. The animal also has a very long tongue, which can reach a length of up to 45 cm.
Okapi often travel 1.2-4 km per day in search of food. Their long tongue helps them easily reach leaves and buds from tall plants.
Galago ( Galago)
Interesting facts about galagos
is a small primate that has a length of 15 to 20 cm and a weight of up to 300 grams. They live in the bushes and forests of East Africa.
The galago's thick fur is brown or grey colour. They have very big ears, which gives them an excellent sense of hearing. This nocturnal creature also has excellent night vision and large eyes.
Galagos are excellent jumpers as they have very strong back legs. With one jump, the animal can reach a height of 2.25 meters.
Unlike other primates, galagos have an additional tongue that is hidden under the main tongue.
These nocturnal animals spend most time in the trees. Elastic joints on the legs allow them to move easily between branches. They mainly feed on bark, fruits and insects.
Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)
Interesting facts about the shoebill
One of the strangest birds in the world is. The bird has a huge beak that can grow up to 22 cm. This amazing bird can only be found in the swamps of East Africa.
Shoebills are one of the species that may become endangered in the near future. Habitat loss and hunting are their main threats.
Large shoebills can reach 120 cm in length and weigh from 4 to 6 kg. They have bluish-gray plumage and wide wings.
Shoebills are ambush predators, meaning they remain motionless until prey gets close enough to them. Then they make a surprise attack using their powerful beak. The bird's diet consists of lizards, turtles, water snakes and rats.
Shoebill is also one of the loneliest birds in the world. After all, they only get together during the mating season.
Eastern colobus (Colobus guereza)
photo Martin Grimm flickr.com
Interesting facts about the eastern colobus
The Eastern Colobus is one of the most attractive African monkeys. She has bright, glossy, black and white fur and an impressive a long tail. It lives in deciduous and evergreen forests of Western and Central Africa.
This great view monkeys, their length is 53.8-71 cm, and their weight is up to 13.5 kg. Eastern colobus monkeys live in large groups, which contain 3-15 monkeys.
These monkeys are active during the day, but spend the most time in the trees. They also take time during the day to search for food sources. Colobus monkeys use different types of sounds and signals to communicate with each other.
This monkey's multi-chambered stomach contains specialized bacteria that help digest it. a large number of food. The diet of the eastern colobus consists mainly of leaves, seeds, fruits and arthropods.
- Eastern crowned crane (Balearica regulorum )
photo James Ball flickr.com
Interesting facts about the Eastern crowned crane
Standing at 1 meter tall and weighing over 4 kg, the Eastern Crowned Crane is a large bird found in the savannas, rivers and swamps of East and Southern Africa.
Most characteristic feature this amazing African bird is her crest of golden feathers. The bird's entire plumage is mostly grey, with a pale gray neck and black and white wings. They also have an attractive bright red pouch under their beak.
During the mating season, male cranes perform interesting courtship rituals with females. They dance, jump and make amazing sounds.
The nest of the eastern crowned crane contains from 2 to 5 eggs, and this is the largest average number of eggs among all representatives of the family.
The Eastern crowned crane is an omnivore, feeding on insects, lizards, grasses, seeds, fish and amphibians.
Wildebeest (Connochaetes)
Interesting facts about wildebeest
Although at first glance they look like a bull, the wildebeest actually belongs to the antelope family. There are two different types These antelopes are black wildebeest and blue wildebeest. Both species are found only in Africa. They live in open forests and green plains.
The wildebeest can reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 275 kg. Both male and female wildebeest have horns. These animals live in large herds.
Between May and June, when food sources become scarce, wildebeest migrate north. The migratory group consists of 1.2-1.5 million individuals. They are also accompanied by thousands of zebras and gazelles. This is the biggest migration terrestrial mammals on the ground.
Wildebeests are capable of walking more than 50 km in one day. During migration, antelopes cover a distance of about 1000-1600 km.
Wildebeest mainly feed on short grass. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs are their main enemies.
Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
Interesting facts about mandarilla
The mandrill is the largest species of monkey in the world. They have a body length of 60 to 90 cm, and weigh up to 38 kg. Mandrills live in the rainforests and subtropical forests of West and Central Africa.
They are certainly among the most colorful monkeys in the world. They have attractive dense, olive-green fur and a gray belly. Cute a long nose The mandrill has a red stripe. Males are larger and more colorful than females.
Mandrills are extremely social animals and they live in large groups of up to 200 individuals.
Besides their coloring and size, these monkeys have long fangs that grow up to 63.5 cm. They use their huge fangs to threaten predators.
Mandrills are active in daytime. They have cheek pouches to store the food they collect. They are omnivores and feed on fruits, seeds, insects, eggs and worms.
Lemurs (Lemuriformes)
Interesting facts about lemurs
Lemurs are amazing primates that are found only in... east coast South Africa. In total there are 30 various types lemurs, all of which are endemic to Madagascar.
Madame Berthae's lemur (Microcebus berthae), which weighs just 30g, is the world's smallest primate, while the indri (Indri indri) is the largest living lemur, weighing up to 9.5kg.
Most lemurs are arboreal, meaning that they spend most of their time living in trees. The tail of most lemur species is also longer than their body.
Lemurs are social animals that live in groups. They use high sounds and scent marking to communicate with each other. They have an excellent sense of hearing and smell.
Lemurs are also called one of the smartest animals in the world. They are known for their use of tools and their ability to learn patterns.
is the only natural predator of lemurs. The lemur's diet consists of fruits, nuts, leaves and flowers.
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Among all the antelopes living on African continent, great kudu (lat. Tragelaphus strepsiceros) have the most striking and memorable appearance. These tall and majestic animals grow up to one and a half meters at the shoulders and can weigh more than three hundred kilograms, thus being one of the largest antelopes in the world.
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Greater kudu's gray-brown coat is adorned with bright white stripes on their sides, white cheek markings, and diagonal stripes between the eyes called chevrons. The fur of males is dark, with gray tint, and females and cubs are painted in beige tones - this makes them more invisible among the savannah vegetation.
The main advantage of male great kudu is their large helical horns. Unlike deer, kudu do not shed their antlers and live with them all their lives. The horns of an adult male are twisted in two and a half turns and grow strictly according to a certain schedule: appearing in the first year of a male’s life, by the age of two they make one full turn, and take their final shape no earlier than the age of six. If the horn of a large kudu is pulled out into one straight line, its length will be slightly less than two meters.
Massive horns – reliable way protection from predators and the main argument in mating season when males fight for the attention of females. However, excessive boasting can sometimes have disastrous consequences - having caught their horns too tightly, the males are no longer able to free themselves, and this leads to the death of both animals. In all other cases, they do not interfere with the life of the kudu, and it easily maneuvers even between closely growing trees, raising its chin and pressing its horns to its head.
Males of greater kudu live separately, joining females only during the mating season. Females with cubs unite in small groups, from three to ten individuals, trying to spend more time among bushes or in tall grass. Their protective coloring copes with its role perfectly - only a very trained and keen eye can see antelopes standing motionless.
A disturbed kudu first freezes in place, wagging its huge sensitive ears, and then suddenly rushes to the side. At the same time, he makes a barking sound (the loudest of all antelopes), warning others of danger.
A rapidly spinning white tail is also an alarm signal. Despite their powerful build, large kudu are excellent jumpers, capable of overcoming obstacles up to three meters high. Hiding from the pursuer and running a short distance, it stops to assess the situation. Very often this habit becomes a fatal mistake for him.
Since ancient times, the luxurious horns of great kudu have been considered a prestigious trophy for hunters from all over the world who come to Africa to compete in dexterity with these elusive antelopes.
KUDU
WHERE BIG(Tragelaphus strepsiceros) This is a slender, large (up to 1.5 m high at the withers) antelope, delicate bluish or yellowish-gray in color, with narrow white transverse stripes on the sides, with a small mane and a dewlap of hard, elongated hair on the throat. The main decoration of the large kudu is its horns, twisted in a wide free spiral and reaching more than 1.5 m in length. Females, like other representatives of the genus, do not have horns.
The huge range of this antelope covers Eastern, Southern and partly Central Africa, but in most areas it is quite rare. In general, the big kudu is not one of those antelopes that you can often find. It prefers hilly and mountainous terrain with rocky soil, but also lives on the plain. Everywhere it stays very secretive. An indispensable condition for its life is dense thickets of bushes. The second condition is accessible watering holes, when these dry up during the dry season, the great kudu makes long-distance migrations. It tolerates human agricultural activities much more easily and, being an excellent jumper, overcomes fences 2-2.5 m high without much effort. Kudu usually lives in small herds of 6-10 (occasionally 30-40) heads. The herd consists of females with calves and young, immature males. Before the rut, old bulls live alone or form groups of 5-6 individuals. Greater kudu graze at night or in the morning and evening hours. The watering hole is scheduled for the same time. The food consists almost exclusively of leaves of various shrubs, and only in dry periods do animals eat bulbs and rhizomes. There is no information about marking individual areas to which kudu is very attached, although there are observations that old males sometimes rub their cheeks on the bark of trees or on stones. It is possible that this is due to the leaving of odorous marks. It is also possible that the role of “claim posts” is played by shrubs broken by horns, which are often found in kudu habitats. During mating season, male greater kudu join herds of females. At this time, intense rivalry arises between males, manifested in frequent fights. It is not uncommon for two old males to become so locked in their spiral horns that they can no longer free themselves. The threat pose of the great kudu is peculiar: the animal stands sideways to the approaching enemy, lowering its head low and arching its back. If the enemy tries to get around him, the antelope turns sideways towards him again. However, when attacking, the male always changes position and turns his horns towards the opponent.
Mating is also preceded by a special ceremony. The male, approaching the female, takes an impressive pose: he turns sideways to her with his head held high, facing in the opposite direction. If the female is not in the mood to accept courtship, she cools the male’s ardor with a strong blow to the side. Otherwise, she runs away, provoking pursuit, during which the male, while running, puts her head and neck or one of the horns on her back and tries to stop her. When this fails, the male tries to bend the female’s neck to the ground with his neck. Pregnancy in the greater kudu lasts 7-8 months; Cubs are usually born during the rainy season, but in some places, such as Zambia and Southern Rhodesia, newborns are seen throughout the year. A newborn kudu hides in a secluded place where the mother comes to feed him. When alarmed, the kudu's voice is a dull, distantly audible bark, similar to a cough. Among the predators, the large kudu is attacked by lions, leopards, and hyena dogs. Young and females often fall prey to cheetahs. The great kudu, with its striking horns, has always been the most coveted trophy of European and American sport hunters.
KUDU ANTELOPE (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), or greater kudu, got its name from the African aborigines - the Hottentots. In their speech, they used this name only for this species of forest antelope, but colonists from the New World also dubbed a smaller species of the bovid family with this term.
The Greater Kudu can be considered one of the largest antelopes. The height of the animal at the withers reaches almost one and a half meters, the body length is 2.2 meters. Males weigh on average 250 kg, females weigh about a third less - about 170 kg. The color of the coat in males is gray-brown, in females and young animals it is light brown. In both, the head is colored somewhat darker than the body, and on the sides there are from 6 to 10 vertical stripes of light color.
Male head kudu antelope crowned with two huge, one meter long, horns twisted into a spiral of 2.5 turns. They begin to grow in young individuals around 6-12 months of age, at the age of 2 years they curl in the first turn, and are fully formed only at 6 years of age.
In addition, they are distinguished from females by long strands of hair on the throat.
The kudu antelope is widespread throughout Eastern and Southern Africa, and inhabits areas where there are dense bushes and permanent sources of water. They try to avoid open plains.
There are no large concentrations of these herbivores. Greater kudu live in small groups of 6-20 individuals, consisting of females and their offspring of different ages. Males usually live alone, occasionally gathering in small groups. Kudu antelopes are active early morning and late in the evening, when they go out to feed and drink, and during the day they take refuge from the heat in the shade of bushes.
Basically these animals lead sedentary image life, but in the absence of water they can migrate over long distances.
The main component in the diet of the greater kudu are leaves and young shoots of bushes; less often they eat grass and even fruits, in particular oranges and tangerines.
Due to their rather large size, the only danger to antelopes is large predators- lions, leopards and wild dogs. The kudu cannot escape from its enemies in open areas - its running speed is less than the speed of predators. Therefore, when threatened, animals rush into the bushes, easily jumping over obstacles 2.5 meters high, where pursuers cannot run quickly.
During the mating season, which occurs at the end of the rainy season, male kudu antelopes join the females. Conflicts constantly break out between males - they butt each other, identifying the strongest. Sometimes these fights end sadly - having locked their spiral horns, the males cannot free themselves from each other and die.
Before mating, males court the female by standing sideways to them and raising their heads high. If the chosen one doesn’t like something, she may bite or kick her partner as a sign of protest. Otherwise, the female greater kudu runs away, and the suitor catches up with her and tries to stop her, after which mating occurs.
After 8 months, in February-March, at the height of the rainy season, one, rarely two, calves are born. For the first two weeks of his life, he hides in the bushes, and his mother visits him to feed him.
