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Female Kudu Browsing (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

Londolozi Game Reserve

Kruger National Park

South Africa

 

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 poaching.

 

Their habitat includes mixed scrub woodlands (the greater kudu is one of the few largest mammals that prefer living in settled areas – in scrub woodland and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush and acacia in lowlands, hills and mountains.

 

Their diet consists of leaves, grass, shoots and occasionally tubers, roots and fruit (they are especially fond of oranges and tangerines).

 

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 that 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.

 

Predators of the greater kudu generally consist of lions, hyenas, and hunting dogs. Although leopards and cheetahs also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a bull, and consequently target the more vulnerable cows and offspring.

 

Greater kudus have a life span of 7 to 8 years in the wild, and up to 23 years in captivity. They are evaluated as low risk in the IUCN Red List of endangered species. Wikipedia

 

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Uploaded on October 3, 2023
Taken on September 26, 2015