Kudu

The greater kudu is the second largest antelope species. It spends up to half of its day foraging, but is also a very shy antelope that hides most of the day.

Its enemies are lion, leopard and hyena. A cheetah, on the other hand, is not big enough to take down a large kudu.

Normally unable to outrun a lion or leopard, it instead tries to mislead predators by running through bush and scrub.

Females and cubs stay together in flocks of 6-20 animals. There may also be a few young males in these flocks. Adult males live alone and are only together with females to mate with them.
The longest horns found on a great kudu measured 181 centimetres.

• Distribution: South and East Africa
• Population: A favourite hunting trophy, but not considered endangered. However, habitats are rapidly disappearing as land is being converted to farmland. There are between 300,000-350,000 left in the wild
• Weight: 120-315 kilos
• Shoulder height: 100-150 centimetres
• Body length: 1.2-1.7 metres
• Neck length: 20-26 centimetres
• Sexual maturity: From 1-2 years of age
• Gestation: 7 months
• Number of cubs: 1, rarely 2
• Food: Leaves, herbs, decaying fruit, flowers, roots and tubers and new grass
• Life expectancy: 15 years in captivity
• Latin name: Tragelaphus strepsiceros