Common Eland (Tragelaphus oryx) lives in open savanna across Sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds on grasses and leaves. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Common Eland
- A male common eland towers at about 1.6 m (5.2 ft) at the shoulder and can tip the scales at 942 kg (2,077 lb), with some individuals reaching a staggering 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Females are smaller, standing 1.4 m (4.6 ft) tall and weighing 340-445 kg (750-981 lb).
- Despite being the slowest antelope, the common eland can sprint to 40 km/h (25 mph) but tires fast; yet it can trot at a steady 22 km/h (14 mph) forever. When startled, it can launch itself up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a stand, and youngsters can clear 3 m (9.8 ft). These bursts let elands escape sudden danger, while their endurance lets them cover the huge home ranges, up to 400 km² for females, needed to find food across arid landscapes.
- To survive scorching days, elands use peripheral skin receptors to sense heat and boost cutaneous evaporation, cooling their skin while keeping core temperature steady. They also raise body temperature to conserve water, and sweat or pant when it gets too hot. Their sparse fur radiates excess heat, and the large dewlap adds surface area, acting like a built-in radiator for the biggest individuals.
- A 2016 IUCN assessment counted 90,000-110,000 mature elands, with roughly half living inside protected reserves and another 30 % on private lands. Populations are stable or rising in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya and Tanzania, but overall numbers are slipping because expanding farms and poaching erode habitat.
- Common elands can gather in herds of up to 500 individuals, creating a moving sea of brown that can be heard clicking across the savannah. The click comes from the animal's hooves splaying apart and snapping back together as they lift a leg.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSub-Saharan Africa
HabitatOpen savanna
DietGrasses and leaves
About the Common Eland
In the sun-baked savannas, the common eland moves with a stately elegance, its large, spiral horns bobbing up and down as it strides effortlessly across the grasslands, a true giant among antelopes. With its tawny coat glistening in the golden light, this majestic creature navigates its domain with a quiet confidence, its large eyes ever-vigilant for potential threats. As it runs, its shaggy coat ripples in the wind, a testament to its remarkable adaptability in the harsh yet beautiful world of the African wilderness.
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