The Great Kudu

by Stephan Scheffer

The greater kudu is a very large antelope species with a rather long neck. In the Pleistocene the animals became even bigger. Males grow larger than females. The male is 195 to 245 centimetres long, 122 to 150 centimetres high and weighs 190 to 315 kilograms. Only the male bears long, spiral horns, which mature after six years and can be 100 to 170 centimetres long. The record stands at 181 centimetres. The male also has a row of long fringe hairs from the throat to the neck.

The female grows smaller, 185 to 235 centimeters long, 100 to 140 centimeters tall and weighing 120 to 215 kilograms. The female generally has no horns. The tail in both sexes is medium-length, 30 to 55 centimeters long, with a white underside and a black tip.

The short fur is bluish or yellowish gray to reddish brown in color, with four to twelve (average six to ten) thin, white stripes on the back. The coat of males is usually more grey, females and young are redder. In older males the fur becomes even greyer. The snout is darker. On the cheek it has one to three white spots. Between the eyes, on the back of the nose, is a bright white stripe. The lips and chin are white. Over the back, from the neck to the tail, runs a thin moon of longer hairs. The ears are large and round.