Big kudu. Animals of Africa - big kudu. Appearance, dimensions

KUDU
KUDU BIG(Tragelaphus strepsiceros) This is a slender, large (up to 1.5 m high at the withers) antelope, of a delicate bluish or yellowish-gray color, with narrow white transverse stripes on the sides, with a small mane and a suspension of hard elongated hair on the throat. The main decoration of the large kudu is the horns, twisted in a wide free spiral and reaching more than 1.5 m in length. Females, like other members of the genus, do not have horns.

The huge range of this antelope covers East, South and partly Central Africa, but in most areas it is quite rare. In general, a large kudu is not one of those antelopes that can often be found. He prefers hilly and mountainous terrain with rocky soil, but also lives on the plains. It keeps very secretive everywhere. An indispensable condition for his life is dense thickets of shrubs. The second condition is accessible watering places, when they dry out during the dry season, the big kudu makes long-distance migrations. It is much easier to put up with human agricultural activities and, being an excellent jumper, overcomes fences 2-2.5 m high without much effort. Usually kudu keeps in small herds, 6-10 (occasionally 30-40) heads. The herd consists of females with calves and young, immature males. Old bulls before the rut live alone or form groups of 5-6 individuals. Large kudu graze at night or in the morning and evening hours. By the same time, a watering place is dated. Food consists almost exclusively of the leaves of various shrubs, and only during the dry period do animals eat bulbs and rhizomes. There is no information about marking individual sites, to which the kudu is very attached, although there are observations that old males sometimes rub their cheeks on tree bark or on stones. It is possible that this is due to the leaving of odorous marks. It is also possible that the role of "bidding posts" is played by a shrub broken by horns, which is often found in kudu habitats. During the mating season, large kudu males join herds of females. At this time, a sharp rivalry arises between males, manifested in frequent fights. It is not uncommon for two old males to be so intertwined with spiral horns that they can no longer free themselves. The threat pose of a large kudu is peculiar: the animal becomes sideways to the approaching enemy, lowering its head low and arching its back. If the enemy tries to go around him, the antelope turns sideways to him again. However, when attacking, the male necessarily changes its position and turns its horns towards the opponent.

Mating is also preceded by a special ceremony. The male, approaching the female, takes the position of imposing: he turns sideways to her with his head held high, facing the opposite direction. If the female is not disposed to accept courtship, she cools the ardor of the male with a strong blow to the side. Otherwise, she runs away, provoking a pursuit, during which the male, on the run, lays her head and neck or one of the horns on her back and tries to stop her. When this fails, the male tries to bend the female's neck to the ground with his neck. Pregnancy in a large kudu lasts 7-8 months; cubs are usually born during the rainy season, but in some places, such as in Zambia and Southern Rhodesia, newborns were seen throughout the year. A newborn kudu hides in a secluded place where the mother comes to feed him. The kudu's voice when alarmed is a deaf, far audible bark, similar to a cough. Of the predators, lions, leopards, and hyena dogs attack the large kudu. Juveniles and females are often preyed upon by the cheetah. The great kudu, with its striking horns, has always been the most coveted trophy of European and American sports hunters.

These antelopes stand out among other antelopes that live on the African continent with their bright, memorable appearance.

Large kudu are large animals with a majestic appearance, whose height at the shoulders reaches one and a half meters, and their weight is more than three hundred kilograms. They are one of the largest antelopes in the world.

The habitat of large kudu is the central and eastern territories of Africa. They prefer to settle in savannahs, on plains covered with shrubs, in forests, in rare cases on deserted hillsides. In general, they choose a place to live depending on the season, for example, with the onset of a drought, they move to the banks of rivers. Their most favorite place is the thickets of bushes, which help them hide from predators, of which there are many in these places.

Greater kudu have gray-brown coats, white stripes on the sides, white markings on the cheeks, and diagonal stripes called chevrons running between the eyes. In males, the coat is darker with a gray tint, while in young animals and females it is colored beige, which allows them to remain more invisible against the background of vegetation.

Kudu are the owners of exquisite horns.

The real decoration of the males of large kudu are their large helical horns. They don't shed them like deer and live with the same ones all their lives. In adult males, the horns have two and a half turns. Moreover, their horns twist strictly in accordance with the schedule: they appear in the first year of life, by the time the male turns two years old, they make one revolution. And they are finally formed by the age of six of the animal. One horn of a large kudu, if stretched out in a straight line, will be about two meters long.

Kudu horns are a means of self-defense.

Such impressive antlers are the great kudu's weapon against predators and for sorting out relations with other males in the fight for females during the mating season. But sometimes battles between males can end quite badly: they can grapple too tightly with their horns, which they can no longer disengage. Unfortunately, both animals die in such cases. And in all other situations, the horns do not interfere in any way with large kudas, so that they can easily and naturally move near trees, only by lifting their chin and pressing their horns to their backs.

The males of these antelopes live separately, and during the mating season they join the females, who, together with the cubs, live in small groups, including from three to ten heads. These groups spend most of their time among tall grass and bushes, hiding from predators. Their coloring perfectly helps them to camouflage so well that if the antelope is standing still, it is almost impossible to see it against the background of vegetation.

Greater kudu is an inhabitant of Africa.

If the kudu senses danger, it freezes for a while and moves its large sensitive ears, after which it abruptly runs away, at the same time making a barking sound, which warns the other relatives of the danger. It should be noted that large kudu make the loudest sounds compared to other antelopes.

Listen to the voice of the markhorn antelope kudu

Another big kudu alarm is the whirling white tail. These antelopes jump beautifully, even their large physique does not interfere with this. They are able to jump over obstacles about three meters high. Large kudu have a peculiar habit - when leaving the chase, run some distance and stop to look around. This behavior can be fatal for the kudu.

The African continent supports rich wildlife through its deserts, savannahs, vast valleys and forests. Africa is home to the largest land animal (the African elephant) and the tallest animal (the giraffe) in the world. But there are many other interesting African animals that you need to know about. For example, Top 10 amazing animals found only in Africa.

1. Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

photo Harvey Barrison flickr.com

Interesting facts about big kudu

The great kudu is an amazing antelope that is native to East and South Africa. It lives in savanna forests and rocky slopes.

This is one of the longest antelope in the world. Spectacularly twisted horns are found only in male kudu. Their horns can be up to 1 meter long with 2 and 1/2 twists. Males use their long horns to protect themselves from predators.

Males have a body length of 2 to 2.5 meters and weigh up to 315 kg. Females are smaller than males. Their length is 1.85-2.3 meters, and their weight is up to 215 kg.

Greater kudu have a brownish gray coat with 5-12 vertical white stripes. They also have a distinctive white stripe between their eyes.

These antelopes are social animals. Females form groups that contain up to 25 individuals. Males join groups only during the mating season.

This larger antelope species primarily feeds on leaves, grasses, fruits, and flowers. In the wild, great kudu live up to 7 years, and in captivity, they can live over 20 years.

1. Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Interesting facts about ostriches

Non-flying ostriches are the largest birds in the world. They have a length of 2 to 2.7 m and weigh up to 160 kg. Ostriches are found in the savannas and desert lands of Central and South Africa.

Ostriches are also known as "camelbirds" because they can withstand high temperatures and live long periods of time without water.

The soft and smooth feather of adult male ostriches is black, and their tail is white. In contrast, females have gray-brown feathers. The neck of ostriches is long and naked.

With powerful long legs, ostriches can reach a top speed of 69 kilometers per hour. Each leg of an ostrich has very sharp claws. Their legs are powerful enough to kill a human with a single blow. Ostriches use their legs as their main weapon to defend themselves against potential predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas.

Ostriches live in small herds that contain 10-12 individuals. 15 cm long is the size of the largest eggs in the world that ostriches lay. These huge birds are omnivores and they feed on leaves, roots, seeds, lizards, insects and snakes. Ostriches also swallow pebbles and small stones to grind food in their stomachs.

1. Okapi (Okapia johnstoni)

Interesting Okapi Facts

- the only remaining relative of the giraffe in the world. They are found only in the rainforests of the Republic of the Congo. The most noticeable feature of the okapi is the striped markings that make them look like zebras.

The okapi is one of the most endangered. Habitat loss and hunting are the main threats to this amazing species.

Okapi can reach 2.5 meters in length and weigh from 180 to 310 kg. As a member of the giraffe family, the okapi also has a relatively long neck. The coat color is reddish brown with zebra-like stripes on the hind and forelegs. This helps the okapi to hide easily in dense forests. The animal also has a very long tongue, which can reach a length of up to 45 cm.

Okapis often travel 1.2-4 km a day in search of food. Their long tongue helps them easily reach leaves and buds from tall plants.

1. Galago ( Galago)

Interesting Galago Facts

- a small primate that has a length of 15 to 20 cm and a weight of up to 300 grams. They live in the bush and forests of East Africa.

Thick galago fur is brown or gray in color. They have very large ears, which give them an excellent sense of hearing. This nocturnal creature also has excellent night vision and large eyes.

Galagos are excellent jumpers as they have very strong hind legs. With one jump, the animal can reach a height of 2.25 meters.

Unlike other primates, galagos have an additional language that is hidden under the main language.

These nocturnal animals spend most of their time in the trees. Elastic joints on the legs allow them to easily move between branches. They mainly feed on bark, fruits, and insects.

1. Kitoglav (Balaeniceps rex)

Interesting facts about the shoebill

One of the strangest birds in the world is this. The bird has a huge beak that can grow up to 22 cm. This amazing bird can only be found in the swamps of East Africa.

Shoe heads are one of the species that may become endangered in the near future. Habitat loss and hunting are the main threat to them.

Large shoe heads can reach 120 cm in length and weigh from 4 to 6 kg. They have bluish-gray plumage and broad wings.

Shoeheads are predators that attack from ambush, which means that they remain motionless until the prey gets close enough to them. Then they make a surprise attack using their powerful beak. The bird's diet consists of lizards, turtles, water snakes and rats.

The shoebill is also one of the loneliest birds in the world. After all, they get together only during the mating season.

1. Eastern colobus (Colobus guereza)

photo Martin Grimm flickr.com

Interesting facts about the eastern colobus

The Eastern Colobus is one of the most attractive African monkeys. She has bright, glossy, black and white fur and an impressively long tail. It lives in deciduous and evergreen forests of West and Central Africa.

This is a large species of monkeys, their length is 53.8-71 cm, and their weight is up to 13.5 kg. Eastern colobus live in small groups that contain 3-15 monkeys.

These monkeys are active during the day but spend most of their time in the trees. They also take time during the day to look for food sources. Colobus use different kinds of sounds and signals to communicate with each other.

The multi-chambered stomach of this monkey has specialized bacteria that help it digest large amounts of food. The diet of the eastern colobus consists mainly of leaves, seeds, fruits, and arthropods.

1. Eastern Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum )

photo James Ball flickr.com

Interesting Facts About the Oriental Crowned Crane

With a height of 1 meter and a weight of more than 4 kg, the Eastern crowned crane is a large bird that lives in the savannas, rivers and swamps of East and South Africa.

The most characteristic feature of this amazing African bird is its crest of golden feathers. The entire plumage of the bird is mostly grey, with a pale gray neck and black and white wings. They also have an attractive bright red pouch under their bill.

During the mating season, the males of these cranes perform interesting courtship rituals for females. They dance, jump and make amazing sounds.

The nest of the Eastern Crowned Crane contains from 2 to 5 eggs, and this is the largest average number of eggs among all members of the family.

The Eastern Crowned Crane is an omnivorous bird feeding on insects, lizards, grasses, seeds, fish, and amphibians.

1. Wildebeest (Connochaetes)

Interesting Wildebeest Facts

Looking like a bull at first glance, wildebeest actually belong to the antelope family. There are two different species of these antelopes - black wildebeest and blue wildebeest. Both species are found only in Africa. They live in open forests and green plains.

Wildebeest can reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 275 kg. Both male and female wildebeest have horns. These animals live in large herds.

Between May and June, when food sources become scarce, the wildebeest migrate north. The migratory group consists of 1.2-1.5 million individuals. They are also accompanied by thousands of zebras and gazelles. This is the largest land mammal migration on Earth.

Wildebeest are able to walk more than 50 km in one day. During migration, antelopes cover a distance of about 1000-1600 km.

Most wildebeest feed on short grass. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs are their main enemies.

1. Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)

Interesting Mandaril Facts

Mandrill is the largest monkey species in the world. They have a body length of 60 to 90 cm, and weigh up to 38 kg. Mandrills live in the rainforests and subtropical forests of West and Central Africa.

They are certainly among the most colorful monkeys in the world. They have attractive dense, olive green fur and gray underparts. The mandrill's cute long nose has a red stripe. Males are larger and more colorful than females.

Mandrills are extremely social animals and they live in large groups of up to 200 individuals.

In addition to color and size, these monkeys have long fangs that grow up to 63.5 cm. They use their huge fangs to threaten predators.

Mandrills are active during the daytime. They have cheek pouches to store the food they collect. They are omnivorous and feed on fruits, seeds, insects, eggs, and worms.

1. Lemurs (Lemuriformes)

Interesting facts about lemurs

Lemurs are amazing primates that are found only on the east coast of South Africa. In total, there are 30 different species of lemurs, all of which are endemic to Madagascar.

Madame Berthe's lemur (Microcebus berthae), which weighs only 30 g, is the smallest primate in the world, and indri (Indri indri) is the largest living lemur weighing up to 9.5 kg.

Most lemurs are arboreal, which means they spend most of their time in tree dwellings. The tail of most lemur species is also longer than their body.

Lemurs are social animals that live in groups. They use high-pitched sounds and scent marking to communicate with each other. They have an excellent sense of hearing and smell.

Lemurs are also called one of the most intelligent animals in the world. They are known for using tools and having the ability to learn patterns.

- the only natural predator of lemurs. The diet of lemurs consists of fruits, nuts, leaves and flowers.

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• Class: Mammalia Linnaeus, 1758 = Mammals
• Infraclass: Eutheria, Placentalia Gill, 1872 = Placental, higher animals
• Superorder: Ungulata = Ungulates
• Order: Artiodactyla Owen, 1848= Artiodactyls, artiodactyls
• Suborder: Ruminantia Scopoli, 1777 = Ruminants
• Family: Bovidae (Cavicornia) Gray, 1821 = Bovids
• Genus: Tragelaphus Blainville, 1816 = Forest antelope

Greater Kudu - Tragelaphus strepsiceros - is distributed from Central and Eastern to South Africa. Kudu live in small groups, rarely alone on wooded hills. They feed on grass and tree leaves. In adults, the height at the withers is 1.3-1.5 m, the body length is up to 245 cm, and the weight is more than 300 kg. Females are smaller than males. Coloration is reddish-gray to bluish-gray with white stripes on the sides. The males of these antelopes are very beautiful. They have white, bright stripes stretching along their reddish-brown body, and their heads are decorated with long massive horns, curved in the form of a corkscrew - their length is on average 1 m (record - 1.8 m), females are hornless. On the lower side of the neck from the throat to the belly there is a suspension of long hair, and on the sides there are vertical white stripes.

KUDU BIG is a slender, large (up to 1.5 m high at the withers) antelope, of a delicate bluish or yellowish-gray color, with narrow white transverse stripes on the sides, with a small mane and a suspension of hard elongated hair on the throat. The main decoration of the large kudu is the horns, twisted in a wide free spiral and reaching more than 1.5 m in length. Females, like other members of the genus, do not have horns.

The huge range of this antelope covers East, South and partly Central Africa, but in most areas it is quite rare. In general, a large kudu is not one of those antelopes that can often be found.

He prefers hilly and mountainous terrain with rocky soil, but also lives on the plains. It keeps very secretive everywhere. An indispensable condition for his life is dense thickets of shrubs. The second condition is accessible watering places, when they dry out during the dry season, the big kudu makes long-distance migrations. It is much easier to put up with human agricultural activities and, being an excellent jumper, overcomes fences 2-2.5 m high without much effort.

Usually kudu keeps in small herds, 6-10 (occasionally 30-40) heads. The herd consists of females with calves and young, immature males. Old bulls before the rut live alone or form groups of 5-6 individuals. Large kudu graze at night or in the morning and evening hours. By the same time, a watering place is dated. Food consists almost exclusively of the leaves of various shrubs, and only during the dry period do animals eat bulbs and rhizomes. There is no information on marking individual sites, to which the kudu is very attached, although there are observations that old males sometimes rub their cheeks on tree bark or on stones. It is possible that this is due to the leaving of odorous marks. It is also possible that the role of "bidding posts" is played by a shrub broken by horns, which is often found in kudu habitats.

During the mating season, large kudu males join herds of females. At this time, a sharp rivalry arises between males, manifested in frequent fights. It is not uncommon for two old males to be so intertwined with spiral horns that they can no longer free themselves. The threat pose of a large kudu is peculiar: the animal becomes sideways to the approaching enemy, lowering its head low and arching its back. If the enemy tries to go around him, the antelope turns sideways to him again. However, when attacking, the male necessarily changes its position and turns its horns towards the opponent.

Mating is also preceded by a special ceremony. The male, approaching the female, takes the position of imposing: he turns sideways to her with his head held high, facing the opposite direction. If the female is not disposed to accept courtship, she cools the ardor of the male with a strong blow to the side. Otherwise, she runs away, provoking a pursuit, during which the male, on the run, lays her head and neck or one of the horns on her back and tries to stop her. When this fails, the male tries to bend the female's neck to the ground with his neck.

Pregnancy in a large kudu lasts 7-8 months; cubs are usually born during the rainy season, but in some places, such as in Zambia and Southern Rhodesia, newborns were seen throughout the year. A newborn kudu hides in a secluded place where the mother comes to feed him. The kudu's voice when alarmed is a deaf, far audible bark, similar to a cough. Of the predators, lions, leopards, and hyena dogs attack the large kudu. Juveniles and females are often preyed upon by the cheetah. The great kudu, with its striking horns, has always been the most coveted trophy of European and American sports hunters.

The big kudu, or markhorned antelope, is one of the tallest antelopes on the planet. This animal stands out for its majesty among other representatives of the species. At the shoulders, its growth reaches one and a half meters, and the spiral horns of the male can grow up to 120-150 centimeters.

Description of the great kudu

The body color of the greater kudu ranges from reddish brown to bluish or blue-gray. Darker specimens were found in the southern populations of the species. Male coat color darkens with age. Juveniles are similar in color to females. They are lighter in color and do not have horns. The kudu has six to ten vertical white stripes on its back. The tail is black with a whitened underside. Males, unlike females, have a characteristic white beard.

Appearance, dimensions

Kudu antelopes are quite large animals in comparison with their relatives. The male can reach up to 1.5 meters at the withers and weigh more than 250 kg. Despite such a large size, these artiodactyls have a rather light and graceful body structure, due to which they are famous for their great skill in the field of jumping and running. Even the heaviest kudu antelope can jump over 1.5-meter farmland fences and other obstacles in its path while fleeing.

The horns of a mature kudu bull most often have two and a half bends. If you theoretically straighten them and measure them, then the length will easily reach 120 centimeters. However, sometimes there are individuals with three complete curls, the length of which in a straightened state can reach 187.64 centimeters.

The antlers do not begin to grow until the male is 6-12 months old. The first curl is twisted at the age of two, and up to six years the same two and a half are formed. Kudu antelope horns have long served various traditional African communities as both ornaments and musical instruments. The latter included the shofar, the Jewish ritual horn blown up on Rosh Hashanah. The animal uses them as a defensive weapon or an aesthetic element in the process of attracting a potential mate.

Kudu are quite beautiful antelopes. Their muzzle is elongated, between the eyes black as coals is a white stripe. The ears are large, set high, oval in shape with pointed tips. Under the nose is a white spot, in males turning into a beard.

Lifestyle, behavior

Females live in small herds, most often consisting of 1-3 individuals and their offspring. In rare cases, the number of individuals in one herd reaches 25-30 individuals. There is no obvious hierarchical rank in these groups. Sometimes women's groups unite into larger ones, but these are only temporary.

Males live separately from females, in bachelor herds. The number of individuals in such groups ranges from 2-10 heads. It has not yet been clarified whether there is a distinct hierarchical rank in the herd. Male bachelor herds do not overlap each other's ranges, but one male's range may overlap two or three female herds.

Males and females do not have lifelong mating relationships and are close only at the time of reproduction, which takes place in South Africa in April and May.

Large kudu are not very aggressive animals, they show hostility mainly in captivity. In the wild, only males can compete with each other in the process of separating females for mating.

How many lives kudu

Kudu antelope in natural habitat can survive from 7 to 11 years. In artificial, favorable conditions, animals live up to twenty years.

sexual dimorphism

The big kudu (lat. Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a beautiful antelope, the male of which is easily distinguished from the female by spectacular, spirally twisted horns, reaching a length of about one and a half meters. Also on the coat of the male kudu are six to ten thin, white, vertical stripes. The body color can be yellowish-brown or gray-brown, its fur is an order of magnitude darker.

The female greater kudu is smaller than the male and lacks impressive horns. Also, the artiodactyl lady is distinguished by the color of her coat. Females are always lighter, they look more like young individuals that have not yet acquired horns. This coat color helps immature kudu and females to camouflage themselves more effectively against the backdrop of African vegetation. The hue varies from sandy yellowish gray to reddish brown, against which the thin stripes on the body are more conspicuous.

Both sexes have a comb of hair that runs along the middle of the back and forms a kind of mane. Both sexes also have a distinct white stripe running down the face between the eyes. The large, rounded ears of the great kudu give the animal a slightly comical appearance.

Greater kudu subspecies

The common name kudu comes from the indigenous Koikoy language used in southern Africa. The scientific name comes from the Greek: Tragos, which means goat and elaphus, deer; Strephis means "twisting" and Keras means "horn".

The subspecies of the markhorned antelope kudu are represented by two representatives - this is a large and small kudu. The body weight of a large kudu male reaches 300 kilograms, a small one does not exceed 90 kilograms. Large - distributed throughout the territory from central to southern and eastern Africa. Small inhabits the territory of East Africa. They can also be found in the Arabian Peninsula.

Large kudu, in turn, forms 5 more subspecies. Among them are T. strepsiceros strepsiceros, T. strepsiceros chora, T. strepsiceros bea, T. strepsiceros burlacei and T. strepsiceros zambesiensis.

Range, habitats

The range of great kudu extends from the mountains of southeast Chad to Sudan and Ethiopia, as well as throughout the arid regions of Eastern and Southern. In South Africa, the markhorn antelope is found mainly in the north and east, as well as in isolated population groups in the Cape province.

Kudu antelope diet

Large kudu are herbivores. The time of food and watering is most often associated with the dark - evening or pre-dawn time of the day. Their diet consists of a wide variety of leaves, herbs, fruits, vines, flowers, and some poisonous plants that other animals do not consume. The composition of food varies depending on the time of year and the territory occupied. They can make it through the dry season, but they won't be able to survive in a potentially waterless region.

The kudu's long legs and neck allow it to reach food from high altitudes. According to this indicator, it overtakes only.

Reproduction and offspring

During the breeding season, the necks of mature males swell. This is necessary in order to show bulging muscles. The male, pursuing the performance of a special ceremony, approaches the female sideways, fixing his gaze in the opposite direction from the potential lady. If the courtship of the male did not suit her taste, the female hits him in the side. If they come, she defiantly runs away, provoking a chase.

During this period, cases of aggression between males are common.

When rival cavaliers meet on the same territory, one becomes in a pose that maximally creates the effect of his overall superiority over his opponent. He stands sideways, arching his back most highly and pressing his head to the ground. The other one starts walking around. The first participant in the conflict turns, depending on the movements of the opponent, in such a way as to expose his lateral side to him. These ritual adventures sometimes escalate into fierce battles, but not always. It is interesting that at the time of the direct fight, they both turn around, substituting the horns for a blow.

The fight takes place through an attack with horns. In a fight, opponents are often fixed by them with each other, sometimes intertwined so closely that they fall into a trap. Not being able to get out of a strong castle, most often both males die.

Greater kudu are prone to seasonal breeding in southern Africa. At the equator, they graze during the rainy season, which lasts from February to June, and mate at or after the end of the rains. If the female has enough plant food, she will be able to produce offspring every two years. However, most females do not reach maturity until three years of age. Males mature after five years.

The gestation period of a large kudu is 7 to 8.7 months, and babies are born when the grass is as high as possible. Calves remain hidden from prying eyes for another two weeks, after which they, already strong enough, can be brought into the herd. Babies are weaned from their mothers at the age of six months. Male calves stay in the maternal herd from 1 to 2 years, and females - longer, up to a lifetime stay.

Kudu reproduction rates are low, most often only one calf is born in a litter.

natural enemies

Large kudu are prey for several animal species in Africa, including wild dogs and. An artiodactyl, when faced with a potential danger, almost always flees. Before this, the kudu makes a rotating movement of the tail. Also, at the moment of danger, the markhorned antelope freezes for a while in immobility and drives its ears in different directions, after which it emits a loud roaring signal to warn about the danger of its relatives and runs away. Despite its bulky size, it is a surprisingly agile and skillful jumper. At the same time, branched horns do not interfere with males at all. During the jump through thorny thickets, the animal raises its chin so that the horns are pressed as close as possible to the body. In such an advantageous position of the body, he manages not to cling to the branches.

Also, as in most cases, the danger to the animal is the person himself. Also, the militant attitude towards kudu is reinforced by the fact that these artiodactyls are not averse to feasting on the harvest from local agricultural lands. A shot kudu has long been considered a great trophy in the catch of any hunter. The object of prey was the meat of the animal, the skin and the most valuable horns - the subject of hunting for collectors. Locals use them in rituals, to store honey, and to make various devices and instruments, including musical ones. Habitat loss is another threat to the kudu population. Awareness and responsible travel are the keys to the conservation of this species.