![]() ![]() The range of the greater kudu extends from the east in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea and Kenya into the south where they are found in Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. ![]() Although this alternative taxonomy is not commonly accepted, it was accepted in the Handbook of the Mammals of the World. The Cape kudu is found in south central South Africa, the Zambezi kudu (closely related to the Cape kudu) is found from northern to southern Tanzania and northern South Africa, Namibia, and Angola through Zambia, Mozambique, and eastern DR Congo, the northern kudu is found in eastern Sudan southwards through Ethiopia and Kenya to the Tanzanian border, and the western kudu is found in southeastern Chad, western Sudan, and in northern Central African Republic. ![]() Each species was based on a different subspecies, Strepsiceros strepsiceros (Cape kudu), Strepsiceros chora (northern kudu), Strepsiceros cottoni (western kudu), and Strepsiceros zambesiensis (Zambezi kudu) which is not commonly accepted even as a subspecies. The greater kudu was split into four species based on genetic evidence and morphological features (horn structure and coat color). This review split the genus Tragelaphus into 4 separate genera, Tragelaphus ( bushbuck, sitatunga, bongo, nyala, and gedemsa or mountain nyala), Ammelaphus ( lesser kudu), Strepsiceros (greater kudu), and their close relatives Taurotragus (elands). In Groves and Grubb's book Ungulate Taxonomy, a recent taxonomic revision was made that evaluated all species and subspecies of kudu and other ungulates. No specimen of the northwestern population, which may represent a third subspecies ( T. chora) in comparison with several samples from the southern part of the range between Tanzania and Zimbabwe ( T. This classification was supported by the genetic difference of one specimen of northern Kenya ( T. chora – northeastern Africa from northern Kenya through Ethiopia to eastern Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea strepsiceros – southern parts of the range from southern Kenya to Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa 2005)įormerly four subspecies have been described, but recently only one to three subspecies have been accepted based on colour, number of stripes and horn length: Phylogenetic relationships of the mountain nyala from combined analysis of all molecular data (Willows-Munro et.al. Cows weigh 120–210 kg (260–460 lb) and stand as little as 100 cm (39 in) tall at the shoulder they are hornless, without a beard or nose markings. The ears of the greater kudu are large and round. This is one of the largest species of antelope. The horns form the first spiral rotation at around 2 years of age, and not reaching the full two and a half rotations until they are 6 years old occasionally they may even have 3 full turns. The horns do not begin to grow until the bull is between the ages of 6–12 months. They diverge slightly as they slant back from the head. The bulls also have beards running along their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, which, were they to be straightened, would reach an average length of 120 cm (47 in), with the record being 187.64 cm (73.87 in). Greater kudu bulls tend to be much larger than the cows, and vocalize much more, utilizing low grunts, clucks, humming, and gasping. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron which runs between the eyes. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso. Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish grey to reddish brown. Keras (Greek) refers to the horn of the animal. Strepho (Greek) means "twist", and strepsis is "twisting". Trag- (Greek) denotes a goat and elaphos (Greek) a deer. Kudu ( / k uː d uː/ koo- DOO), or koodoo, is the Khoikhoi name for this antelope. The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as kudu, the other being the lesser kudu, T. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching. The greater kudu ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a large woodland antelope, found throughout eastern and southern Africa. ![]()
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