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| Description | A large antelope with a stately bearing. The colour is pale grey to brownish-grey with a number of vertical white stripes on the flanks. The male's neck becomes darker with age. Between the eyes there is a white chevron marking. Females look similar to the males but without the horns their ears are very prominent, being large and rounded, with a white fringe. The tail is white underneath and there is a conspicious hump on the shoulders. | |
| Sexual dimorphism | Females are smaller than males and lack horns. | |
| Habitat | Savannah with enough trees or scrub, especially close to koppies, mountains or along creeks, and close to water. | |
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Habits |
These diurnal animals browse in the early morning and in the late afternoon. They form family groups of 5 to 12 animals, consisting mostly of females and calves, except in the mating season. Males form seperate herds or become solitary. They are graceful and athletic and can jump very high (± 2m) for such large animals. When the males move fast through trees they keep their heads tilted backwards with their horns held close to their backs. Kudu are still fairly common outside conservation areas. | |
| Voice | A very loud bark. | |
| Breeding | A single calf is born during November to January after a gestation period of ± 7 months | |
| Food | Leaves, growth tips of plants, pods and sometimes fresh green grass. | |
| Mass |
♂ 190 - 270 kg ♀ 120 - 210 kg |
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| Life expectancy | ± 14 years | |
| Length of horns |
Average ± 120 cm Record 187,64 cm |
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| Enemies | Spotted Hyena, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Cape Hunting Dog. | |
| Also known as |
Koedoe (Afrikaans) Tragelaphus strepsiceros |
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