Kudu
A trip out to South Africa is incomplete without a safari extravaganza through the Kruger National Park. One of the country’s most sought after tourist attractions, the Kruger Park is home to plentiful wildlife and diverse species of flora. Amongst the thriving herbivores is the kudu, which belongs to a family including the likes of the eland, nyala, and bushbuck, and is considered to be the most handsome out of this group.
There are two variants of kudu – the Greater Kudu and the Lesser Kudu – with both animals sporting stripes and spots on their bodies along with tufts of chevron white hair between their eyes, and long spiraling horns that are found on the males. The Greater Kudu’s horns in particular are quite spectacular with them able to grow to a staggering 72cm while making graceful twists. Certain cultures believe that the kudu’s horns are dwelling places for powerful spirits, while others believe that they are a sign of the male’s fertility prowess.
The kudu seldom uses its horns in defence against predators though and they have become prized in Africa as they can be used as musical instruments and honey containers. The kudu is herbivorous and is considered to be a browser, with its diet consisting of leaves, herbs, fallen fruits, vines, flowers, and occasionally new grass. Female kudu usually reproduce annually in the Kruger Park during February and March when the grass is high, and give birth after a gestation period of 9 months. Females are able to conceive at age 2, a year before they reach maturity, while their male counterparts will reach maturity at age 5 and keep developing from there.
Visitors to the Kruger National Park may be fortunate enough to witness an epic contest between two competing male kudus, known as jousting. Unfortunately, as a result of the joust, the two kudus are unable to disentangle their interlocked horns, thus making them extremely vulnerable to predators.