Lesser Kudu
Tragelaphus imberbis
A shy, elegant bushland antelope with many thin white body stripes.
| Scientific name | Tragelaphus imberbis |
|---|---|
| Swahili name | Tandala Mdogo |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | Bovidae |
| Size | Shoulder height about 90-105 cm, weight about 55-105 kg; males larger than females |
How to identify
Smaller than the greater kudu; 11-15 thin white vertical body stripes; two white throat patches; males grey-brown with spiral horns, females rufous and hornless
Habitat
Arid, dense thornbush, scrub and low acacia woodland
Diet
Mainly a browser of leaves, also taking shoots, flowers, fruit and some grass
When it is active
Chiefly crepuscular and nocturnal, hiding in dense cover by day
Where it lives
The Horn of Africa and East Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Tanzania
How to spot it
Search quietly in dense bush — it is wary and easily startled; edges of clearings at dawn or dusk offer the best chances
Photography tips
Use dappled light to render the thin white stripes; focus fast and open the aperture to lift the shutter speed in shade; capture the male's spiral horns in profile
Threats
Habitat loss, drought, poaching and diseases spread by livestock
Similar species
Greater kudu (much larger, with fewer stripes and longer, more flaring horns in males)
