Antelopes

Greater Kudu

Males have 6-10 stripes along their brown body, and have spiral horns which can reach over a meter in length. Females are smaller than males, lack horns, and have less noticeable stripes along their yellowish-gray colored fur. Both sexes, however, have a band of fur along their back which forms their mane. They also have a white stripe between their eyes and are known for their large ears.

Habitat/Range:

Greater kudu tend to live in the mountains, savanna woodlands, and hills. They avoid open grassland and forests and live in southeast Chad, Sudan, and Ethiopia, as well as parts of eastern and southern Africa.

Size:

Length: Males 6-8 feet; Females 6.7-7 feet. Weight: Males 418-694 lbs; Females 264-473 lbs.

Their long necks allow the greater kudu to reach food that is high up. This is only exceeded by the giraffe.

Least Concern. Hunting for their long horns and meat poses a threat to the Greater Kudu. These animals have been known to destroy farmer’s crops and are seen as a bit of a nuisance. Recently, Greater Kudu has been able to reclaim a large portion of their southern habitat which was previously threatened by human encroachment. However, in the north they are still sparse and isolated.

Conservation Action:

This species lives in several protected areas.

Kirk's Dik-Dik

Dik-Diks can be yellowish gray to reddish brown on their backs and gray to white on their belly. Only the males have horns. One distinguishable body part of this animal is its snout which is elongated into a proboscis which helps to cool the animal.

Habitat/Range:

Dik-Diks live in southeastern Somalia, central and southern Kenya, northern and central Tanzania, southwestern Angola, and Namibia. They prefer dry bush country with heavy shrubbery to hide and eat but need very little water.

Size:

Length: 20-26in.

When the dik-dik is startled they run in a zig zag formation while calling ‘dik dik’ which lends to their name.

Least Concern. Dik-Diks are hunted for their skin to make gloves. One dik-dik hide makes one glove. Due to slash and burn cultivation, the dik-dik has been able to thrive due to the secondary growth that occurs in the damaged areas providing good food source and hiding places.

Conservation Action:

This species occurs in some protected areas.

Yellow-Backed Duiker

This species of duiker has a brown to black coat with a distinctive triangular patch of yellow near the tail. This yellow patch is not there at birth and only develops over time, taking as long as ten months to finish. They have white lips and a grayish muzzle. Both sexes have short, cone-shaped horns with longer chestnut hair around them. Their bodies are arched with shorter front legs than back legs allowing for more maneuverability. Females tend to be larger than males. Juveniles are dark brown in color with spotted sides and a red underside.

Range/Habitat:

Yellow-backed duikers are found throughout western central Africa. They prefer forested areas with thick understory growth but can be found in other forested habitats.

Size:

Length: 4 feet. Height: 2.5 feet at the shoulder. Weight: 100-175lbs. Horn size: 3.3-8.3in.

The Yellow-backed duiker is the largest of all the species of duikers or dwarf antelope.
Duiker comes from an Afrikaans word meaning “diving buck” referring to how this creature dives into the vegetation for cover.

IUCN lists as a species of least concern. Their main threat is habitat loss due to agriculture. Since they are a larger species of duiker, they need dense forest in order to hide. They are also hunted for food, sometimes necessary for local survival.