By Fen Bowen (Colby College)

 

Which animal is the largest of the antelope family, and is found patchily in East and Southern Africa? Which animal relies on dense thicket for evasion from predators, and when running will lift its head in order to keep its horns at shoulder level? Which animal has the largest horns of any other, and is greatly sought for the beauty of its horns? Which animal has large rounded ears for superior hearing, and will use loud barks and grunts in order to communicate with each other? Which species’ males are tolerant of each other, and both sexes are polygamous? The Greater Kudu, or Tragelaphus strepsiceros, is all this and more.

The kudu is a most majestic antelope, strutting around the African bush, using posture and poise to display its dominance instead of brute force. It will hold its head majestically to rest its horns on its shoulders as it runs, and we have seen them do this many a time while out on transects. The kudu is my favorite ungulate, and some might say my African spirit animal. In fact just the other day, while out on transect, we were returning to camp via the road along the river near Banoka camp, and three male kudu caused us great pause. The head male, with 3 full twists in his horns, looked at us with contempt, and continued to browse on the Croton megalobotrys (large fever berry), paying us no mind. Some might think that it is a rare occurance to see such a majestic animal, but in fact this happens almost every day, and I still marvel in its brilliance every time. Well, sometimes. Other times it’s just another kudu running away from our car as I’m trying to record its distance, angle, sex, and coordinates, making transects that much more difficult. But mostly it’s majestic.