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| Description | The Eland is the region's largest antelope. The colour is grayish-brown, the male developing a bluish-grey neck as it grows older. The northern species (Livingstone's Eland) has faint vertical white stripes down the flanks. A grown male reminds one of a Brahman bull because of the hump and dewlap. Both sexes have straight horns with a slightly curved edge, a tassel of long brown hair on the forehead, and dark brown hair along the top of the back. | |
| Sexual dimorphism | Males are larger than females, with shorter and stouter horns. | |
| Habitat | Widely spread in shrubby flat veld; all types of woodland to humid, mountainous grasslands. | |
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Habits |
Eland usually form small herds of 8 to 12 animals, but very large herds are not uncommon. They usually graze during the day, but in the rainy season they will sometimes graze well into the night, ranging widely in search of food. Eland are nervous animals, taking flight at the slightest sign of danger. They are surprisingly good jumpers, considering their bulk, clearing a height of 2 meters with ease. Serious fights between males sometimes occur. A typical "click" sound is heard as they walk. | |
| Voice | Females "moo", calves bleat and males bellow. They sometimes also make a barking sound. | |
| Breeding | A single calf is born througout the year after a gestation period of ± 9 months, peaking in August to October. | |
| Food | Leaves and grass in spring. They drink water regularly when available. | |
| Mass |
♂
± 700 kg ♀ ± 460 kg |
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| Life expectancy | ± 12 years | |
| Length of horns |
Average ± 60 cm Record 114,3 cm |
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| Enemies | Lion | |
| Also known as |
Eland (Afrikaans) Taurotragus oryx |
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