Greater Kudu

Fascinating facts about the Greater Kudu

• When straightened, a greater kudu's impressive horns average about 120 cm, while the longest recorded specimen measured 187.64 cm. The horns begin to grow only after the bull reaches six to twelve months of age, and the first spiral appears around two years old. Full development of the characteristic two-and-a-half twists is not achieved until the animal is about six years old, though some individuals may form three complete turns.
• Greater kudu horns start their first spiral at roughly two years of age and only complete the full two-and-a-half twists by the time the bull is six years old, with occasional individuals developing three full turns. Horn growth does not commence until the animal is between six and twelve months old, meaning the early months see no visible protrusion.
• Male greater kudus typically weigh between 190 kg and 270 kg, with the heaviest recorded bull reaching 315 kg, and they stand up to 1.6 m tall at the shoulder. In contrast, females are lighter, weighing 120-210 kg and standing as low as 1 m at the shoulder, and they lack horns and beards. Both sexes share a head-and-body length of 1.85-2.45 m, to which a tail adds another 30-55 cm.
• When water becomes scarce, greater kudus normally remain within a familiar home range but will embark on long treks to find drinking sources. In drought conditions they abandon this habit and travel far, as recorded in southern Namibia where they covered extensive distances in very short periods of time. This ability to move quickly over large areas helps them survive in arid scrub woodland where water holes are few.
• Greater kudu herds are rarely larger than forty individuals because their selective feeding makes it hard for big groups to find enough browse. Typical herds occupy between 3.2 and 6.1 km², a space that can support only limited numbers of animals. Within this area they spend about 54 % of the day searching for food, a behaviour that further restricts group size. Female groups usually consist of six to ten members, reinforcing the modest herd composition.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Greater Kudu

In the scorching savannas, the Greater Kudu moves with an air of elegance, its spiraling horns twisting upwards like a majestic crown, as it glides effortlessly across the sun-baked landscape with a gentle, loping gait. Its large, dark eyes seem to hold a deep wisdom, as if they have witnessed the passage of time etching its mark on the African plains, and yet, it remains a steadfast inhabitant of this realm. With its striking coat, a mosaic of grey and brown, the Greater Kudu blends seamlessly into the dappled shade, a true master of its domain.

Greater Kudu photographed on Feravox

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