Greater+Kudu

The Greater Kudu is a very large antelope measuring at 55 inches and weighing at 565 pounds. The Greater Kudu lives up to 8 years in the wild but in captivity lives up to a much longer 23 years. Greater Kudus are herbivores and eat wild water melon and fruit and will often eat farmers crops. They are hunted by leopards, dogs, spotted hyena, and Humans. Greater Kudus are cousins of lesser Kudus. Male Greater Kudus often fight for dominance by locking horns but it usually doesn't end in injury. You can determine a Greater Kudus age by its size. Greater kudu are not endangered but they are still protected in Kruger national park. Supspecies of the greater kudu include bushbuck,sitatunga,bongo, and mountain nyala. Greater kudu are in the bovidae family and are in the bovinae sub family. As of 1999 there was an estimated 482,000 greater kudu in the world.

Greater Kudu By Jordan Springer In both appearance and actions, the greater kudu is quite a majestic animal. A member of the antelope family, the greater kudu is renowned for the males’ majestic horns. These horns can grow up to 72 inches and usually have 2.5 complete twists. Occasionally, the females will have small horns. The female greater kudus are noticeably smaller than their male counterparts. The greater kudu has a brown, slim body with white stripes running along its flank. In addition to this, the greater kudu has long legs and a thick neck. In addition to their horns, males have a patch of noticeable hair on their chins. Both males and females have a patch of white between their eyes. Along with their stripes, greater kudus have white spots all over their bodies. These markings serve to help hide their wearer in the brush that the Greater Kudu species favors. Greater Kudus also have a line of raised hair along their backs, similar to a horse’s mane but longer. Its close relative, the lesser kudu can be discerned by their smaller size, shorter horns, and the characteristic white markings on the neck of the animal. Although male greater kudu are mainly solitary, the females and juveniles form groups comprised of 3 to 10 mothers and their babies. The males will sometimes form small “bachelor groups,” but these are rare. The males will only join the females during the mating season. When the calf is born, the female leaves her group and gives birth, and, like many antelopes, hides the baby. After 4 or 5 weeks, the calf will be able to join the mother for small periods of time, and at 3 to 4 months, the baby will be with the mother all the time. At about 6 months, the calf will be mostly independent. The social order of male greater kudus is decided in a complex and interesting fashion. Dominance can be decided in one of two ways: sparring or simple intimidation. When sparring, males will lock their impressive horns together; pushing one another until the less dominant males grows tired and surrenders. However, this is only used when the threat measure is not applicable or not effective. When the intimidation method is used, the animals will square off, standing sideways until the smaller one concedes. greater kudus are browsers, eating small plants such as shoots and leaves. When it’s dry, they will eat more watery vegetation such as fruit. In some cases, greater kudu will take plants from agricultural installations that are close to the small area they roam. Greater kudu live in well-vegetated areas such as forests or bushland, and can be found in Southern and Eastern Africa. However, their population has been greatly affected over the years. Currently, they are of “least concern” to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) but they face many threats. Greater kudu are a common game animal in Africa, as their horns, as well as being beautiful, play a part in many cultures. Humans are also taking their land, using it for farming or mining. In addition to being hunted by humans, these magnificent animals serve as prey for predators such as wild dogs, hyenas, and large cats.