{"id":60263,"date":"2017-12-23T09:00:41","date_gmt":"2017-12-23T08:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/safariavventura2026.ocacloud.it\/greater-kudu-the-majestic-east-african-antelope\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T09:21:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T07:21:59","slug":"greater-kudu-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/safariavventura2026.ocacloud.it\/en\/greater-kudu-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Greater Cudu: the majestic East African antelope"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tall and imposing with spectacular horns, this animal is one of the most sought-after trophies in Africa. The Cudu<\/strong>(Tragelaphus strepsiceros)<\/i>, <\/strong>also known as Kudu, <\/strong>definitely ranks as one of the most beautiful species to be seen on a classic safari in Tanzania, along with the African lion<\/a>,elephant<\/a> and cheetah<\/a>, and they are nothing more than large African antelopes with long and majestic antlers. <\/p>\n

Cudus are divided into major and minor<\/strong>, Tragelaphus strepsiceros <\/i>and Tragelaphus imberbis, <\/i>and are African ruminants<\/strong> 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 <\/i>Ernest Hemingway <\/strong>praised the Greater Cudu, dubbing this shy and elusive animal “the gray ghost<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Despite the majestic and enchanting appearance of this animal, a member of the Bovidae<\/em> family, the Kudu is sadly known as the leading cause of rabies in the areas in which it lives.<\/p>\n

Etymology of the name<\/h2>\n

Kudu<\/strong>, cudu in English, or koodoo<\/strong>, is the Khoikhoi name, the language of a West African ethnic group, used to refer to this antelope.<\/p>\n

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<\/i>. <\/p>\n

Characteristics of the Greater Cudu<\/h2>\n

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<\/strong>, up to a maximum of 315 kg<\/strong>, 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. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Distinguishing features include a white, hooked bracket-shaped mark <\/strong>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<\/strong>, 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”<\/strong> on the upper legs. <\/p>\n

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:<\/p>\n