Waterbuck

Scientific name: Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Common name: Waterbuck
Afrikaans: Waterbok of Kringgat
Setswana: Tumoga

Description

It is a large rough and shaggy coated antelope with a white collar high on the throat, short stocky legs, distinctive white chin, white eyebrow stripes, as well as, a broad white ring on the rump. Males have long horns spreading sideways then slightly inwards with smooth forward curves and the horns range from 55 to 99 cm (22 to 39 in) in length. Males are darker than females.

Habitat

They live in grasslands, floodplains, woodland, and rocky areas within 2 km of water.

Diet

These animals are herbivores, they are grazers and they prefer long grass, they browse when they are low in protein. Waterbuck also eat marula and in winter they tend to eat baboon droppings.

Behaviour

Waterbuck are most active early morning and late afternoon and they also feed at night. They are gregarious animals continuously changing herds of about 6 to 12 animals but large herds of up to 30 and tend to be bigger in winter . The white rump ring serves as a signal for the herd to follow when fleeing through dense bush. The social organisation includes territorial bulls, bachelor herds, females and young. Occupation and status are advertised by standing in a proud posture with the neck erect and head up, displaying a white chin , horning grass sending their fragments flying into the air. Bulls have very strong goaty body odour that taints the meat if the skin is allowed to touch. Waterbucks are typically silent animals but will use alarm snorts for vocal communication. They are excellent swimmers and often enter the water to escape from predators.

Conservation status

These animals are dependent on water or wetland habitat and any threat to wetland is a threat to them. Populations are eliminated from many areas within their large range because of poaching and human settlements. This species is classified as Least Concern (LC).

References

1. Waterbuck on The IUCN Red List site – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/11035/50189324
2. Peter Apps, Mammals of Southern Africa, A Field Guide (2012) page 262-264