Tall and imposing with spectacular horns, this animal is one of the most sought-after trophies in Africa. The Cudu(Tragelaphus strepsiceros), also known as Kudu, definitely ranks as one of the most beautiful species to be seen on a classic safari in Tanzania, along with the African lion,elephant and cheetah, and they are nothing more than large African antelopes with long and majestic antlers.
Cudus are divided into major and minor, Tragelaphus strepsiceros and Tragelaphus imberbis, and are African ruminants that both live in the forested areas of East Africa. Their beauty and long horns have made them some of the most sought-after prey in Africa. Even Ernest Hemingway praised the Greater Cudu, dubbing this shy and elusive animal “the gray ghost.”
Despite the majestic and enchanting appearance of this animal, a member of the Bovidae family, the Kudu is sadly known as the leading cause of rabies in the areas in which it lives.
Etymology of the name
Kudu, cudu in English, or koodoo, is the Khoikhoi name, the language of a West African ethnic group, used to refer to this antelope.
Tragos (Greek) means a goat and elaphos (Greek) a deer, strepho (Greek) means spiral while strephis is “twist”; Keras (Greek) refers instead to the horn of the animal. Hence Tragelaphus strepsiceros.
Characteristics of the Greater Cudu
The greater Kudu measures about 1-1.5 meters at the withers and is a rather robust and heavy animal. Male specimens, in fact, weigh about 190 to 270 kg, up to a maximum of 315 kg, while female specimens weigh an average of 120 to 210 kg. Female cudus, moreover, are completely devoid of antlers and antlers and do not even have the typical markings around the nose.
The smooth short coat varies in color, from gray to grayish brown, with some grayer shades and a darker neck in the breeding season. Both sexes have a short mane from the top of the head to the shoulders, where it forms a ridge and continues down the spine.
Distinguishing features include a white, hooked bracket-shaped mark extending from the eyes through the upper nose and exceptionally to the large pink ears. There are numerous white markings, between 6-10 vertical stripes across the back and on the bands, variable white spots on the sides of the face and black on the upper lip and chin. The thick tail is black with a white tip underneath and there are black “garters” on the upper legs.
Here you can see a video, shot by Rob The Ranger Wildlife, capturing a beautiful moment in the life of Greater Cudus, namely an antler fight:
Only males have horns growing from the top of the head in broad spirals with a distinct crest along their length, slightly diverging and sloping back from the head. The spirals are normally 2/3 . The average length of the horns is between 40 – 56 cm “with lengths exceeding 58 cm but are very rare. These well-shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, containers, and symbolic ritual objects. Although rare, there have been cases of female Cudu horns growing as opposed to males.
Adult specimens are active both during the day and at night. Usually, these animals form small flocks consisting of about ten individuals of the same sex.
Characteristics of the Lesser Cudu
As its name implies, this species is smaller in size than the greater, and in fact reaches, on average, about one meter at withers, with small differences in height (about 5-10 cm) between males and females. The weight of male lesser Kudu is 92-108 kg while that of female Kudu is 56-70 kg, a significantly lower weight.
Male Imberbis have a coat tending to grayish-brown, while the coat of females is the typical brown color of antelopes. Indifferent to sex, however, lesser Kudu have coats painted by precisely 10 white stripes. Herds of the Lesser Kudu are mainly active from dusk to dawn and consist of 2-5 members of both sexes.
The ‘favorite habitat of the Cudu
The habitat that the Greater and Lesser Kudu prefers is that composed of mixed woodlands, acacia and bush, on the plains, hills and mountains. The lesser and greater Kudu lives near the forested areas of East Africa, and here it feeds on grasses and leaves.
Kudu raiders
Cudus are prey to a number of predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and the large python; usually the latter hunts the smallest of the cudus. Tragelaphus are able to run very fast, but often have difficulty with large predators. Their strength is based on the great agility they possess; in fact, they can jump with some ease within the forest where large carnivorous predators find it difficult to chase them. The Kudu often hides in the forest until the predator has finally given up hunting it .
Behavior and organization
Cudus live in small herds, usually consisting of 10-12 members, but one can find them numbering up to 24 individuals. Cudu herds are mainly composed of females and their cubs, while male Cudus, on the contrary, tend to be more solitary, joining females only when it is time to mate. It is known that groups of up to 8 male Cudus will form a flock, but this is very rare.
The Cudu mating season occurs at the end of the rainy season. The gestation period is about 8 months after which the female Cudu normally gives birth to a single Cudu cub. Cubs tend to be born around February and March, when the grass is at its highest and there is plenty of food to help the baby kudu grow.
Kudu have benefited and suffered from contact with humans. Humans find the kudu an easy target for hunting due to the fact that they tend to stop and look around after their escape, while some tribes and local people believe that the kudu is a sacred animal and therefore tend to protect it rather than kill it.
Discover Tanzania
Don’t miss the opportunity to see this beautiful Antelope species through one of our fantastic safaris.
