Redunca redunca (Pallas, 1767)

Taxonomy and Naming

The bohor reedbuck, with the scientific name Redunca redunca (Pallas, 1767), is a medium-sized antelope.

Head-and-Body Length

Its typical head-and-body length ranges from 100–135 cm (39–53 in).

Shoulder Height

Males stand approximately 75–89 cm (30–35 in) tall at the shoulder, while females reach 69–76 cm (27–30 in) at the shoulder.

Weight

Males typically weigh 43–65 kg (95–143 lb), and females weigh 35–45 kg (77–99 lb).

Tail Length

Its bushy tail measures 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) long.

Sexual Dimorphism Overview

This species is sexually dimorphic: males are 10% to 20% larger than females and have more prominent markings.

Subspecies Size Variation

Among its recognized subspecies, R. r. cottoni is the largest, and R. r. redunca is the smallest.

Base Coat Coloration

This sturdily built antelope has a yellow to grayish-brown coat, and is generally yellower than other reedbuck species.

Coat Gland Characteristics

Large, diffuse sebaceous glands in the coat make the fur greasy and give the animal a strong odor.

Juvenile Coat Traits

Juveniles are darker and have longer hair than adults.

Subspecies Coat Color Variation

Subspecies vary in coat color: R. r. bohor is yellowish gray, while R. r. wardi has a richer tint.

Underside Coloration

The bohor reedbuck's undersides are white.

Distinct Body Markings

It has several distinct markings: a dark stripe on the front of each foreleg, white markings under the tail, and a pale ring of hair around the eyes that extends along the lips, lower jaw, and upper throat.

Subspecies Marking Variation

The subspecies R. r. redunca lacks the dark foreleg stripes.

Male Neck Morphology

Males have thicker necks.

Ear Characteristics

The species can be distinguished from other antelopes by its large, oval-shaped ears, and there is a round bare spot below each ear.

Gland and Mammary Features

In addition to sebaceous glands, bohor reedbuck have a pair of inguinal glands, vestigial foot glands, and four nipples.

Lifespan

A bohor reedbuck can live for at least ten years.

Track Characteristics

Its tracks are slightly smaller than those of the southern reedbuck.

Male Horn Presence

As a key part of its sexual dimorphism, only males have a pair of short, stout horns that extend backward from the forehead and hook slightly forward.

Typical Horn Length

Horns typically measure 25–35 cm (9.8–13.8 in), though some individuals from Senegal have longer, wide-spreading horns.

Horn Comparison to Other Reedbucks

Compared to other reedbucks, the bohor reedbuck has the shortest and most hooked horns.

R. r. cottoni Horn Traits

R. r. cottoni has the longest horns, which are less hooked than typical and may curve inwards.

R. r. bohor Horn Traits

In contrast to R. r. cottoni, R. r. bohor has short, stout horns with hooks that point forward.

Regional Horn Length Variation

Horn length in a given region is somewhat related to population density in that area: bohor reedbuck in eastern Africa, where populations are dispersed, have short horns, while those in the Nile valley, where populations are concentrated, have longer, wide-spreading horns.

General Habitat Types

The bohor reedbuck inhabits moist grasslands, swamplands, and woodlands.

Cameroon Habitat Specifics

In northern Cameroon, it occupies two main habitat types: seasonally flooded grasslands with abundant grasses such as Vetiveria nigritana and Echinochloa pyramidalis in the Sahelo-Sudan region, and Isoberlina woodlands in the Sudano-Guinean region.

Habitat Adaptability

It is often found on grasslands prone to both floods and droughts, and adapts well to extreme seasonal changes and calamities.

Habitat Range Limitation

Due to its specific habitat requirements, it is not as widespread as the bushbuck.

Sympatry with Mountain Reedbuck

In some edge areas of its range, it shares habitat with the mountain reedbuck.

Sympatry with Southern Reedbuck

The ranges of the bohor reedbuck and southern reedbuck overlap extensively in Tanzania.

Native Geographic Range

Endemic to Africa, the bohor reedbuck is native to Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania and Togo.

Extirpation Status

It is possibly extinct in Ivory Coast and Uganda.

Current Range Extent

Formerly widespread across western, central, and eastern Africa, its current range extends from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east.

Tanzania Range Abundance

Among the three reedbuck species, the bohor reedbuck is the most widespread in Tanzania.

Regional Conservation Status

Its conservation status is uncertain in Burundi, Eritrea, Ghana and Togo, and it is rare in Niger and Nigeria.

Activity Pattern

Bohor reedbuck are active throughout the day, seeking cover during daytime and grazing at night.

Daily Time Allocation

A large portion of each day is spent feeding and staying vigilant.

Anti-predator Camouflage Behavior

They can easily camouflage in grasses and reeds, and typically hide instead of running when they sense danger.

Threat Response Behavior

When threatened, they usually stay motionless or retreat slowly into cover for defense, but will flee and whistle shrilly to alert others if the threat is close.

Predator Avoidance Strategy

They hide from predators rather than forming herds for defense.

Known Predators

Many predators, including lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and crocodiles, prey on the bohor reedbuck.

Female Herding Behavior

When shade is available, females stay solitary; if no shade is available, females and their offspring gather into herds of up to ten individuals.

Home Range Size

Female home ranges cover 15–40 hectares, while the larger territories of males cover 25–60 hectares.

Home Range Overlap

These home ranges often overlap.

Female Offspring Dispersal

As female offspring mature, they move away from their mothers' home ranges.

Territorial Male Tolerance

Territorial males are very tolerant, and may even associate with up to 19 bachelor males when no females are present.

Female Presence in Male Territories

Up to five females may be found in a single male's territory.

Juvenile Male Expulsion

Territorial males drive out their sons once the young males start growing horns, which happens when they are about a year and a half old.

Bachelor Male Group Behavior

These young males form small groups of two to three on the borders of territories, until they mature around their fourth year.

Dry Season Aggregation Behavior

Large aggregations of hundreds of bohor reedbuck gather near rivers during the dry season.

Common Displays

Two common displays in this species are whistling and bounding.

Territorial Marking Behavior

Instead of scent-marking territory, the bohor reedbuck produces a shrill whistle to mark its territory boundaries.

Whistling Mechanism

When whistling, it expels air through its nose with enough force that its entire body vibrates.

Whistling and Bounding Sequence

These whistles, usually one to three in number, are followed by a few stotting bounds.

Alarm Display Function

This behavior is also used to raise alarm in herds.

Bound Display Physical Characteristics

During this display, the reedbuck raises its neck to expose the white patch on its throat, keeps its tail down, and leaps similarly to an impala, landing on its forelegs.

Bound Display Gland Feature

The display is also accompanied by popping of the inguinal glands in the legs.

Male Fight Behavior

Fights between males begin with both opponents holding their horns low in a combat stance, followed by locking of horns and pushing.

Fight Severity

These fights can even result in death.

Sexual Maturity Age

For reproduction, males become sexually mature at three to four years old, while females can conceive as early as one year old and reproduce every nine to fourteen months.

Breeding Seasonality

There is no fixed breeding season, but mating peaks in the rainy season.

Male Dominance Fight Locations

Dominance fights take place in specific "assembly fields", where up to 40 males may gather in an area of 1 hectare.

Assembly Field Attractants

Some parts of these grounds are marked with dung and urine and are particularly attractive to males, because of the oestrogen present in females' urine.

Courtship Initiation

Courtship starts when the dominant male approaches the female, who then assumes a low-head posture and urinates.

Unresponsive Female Behavior

Unresponsive females will run away when pursued by a male.

Male Courtship Behavior

A male that is interested in the female will repeatedly sniff her vulva and flick his tongue.

Mating March Behavior

As the pair continues their "mating march", the male licks the female's rump and persistently attempts to mount her.

Mounting Behavior

When mounting, the male tries to clasp her flanks tightly.

Female Receptivity Signal

If the female stands firmly, she is signaling that she is ready to mate.

Copulation Process

Copulation involves a single ejaculation, after which both animals stand motionless for a time before returning to grazing.

Gestation Period and Litter Size

The gestation period is seven and a half months long, after which a single calf is born.

Calf Confinement Period

Mothers keep their calves concealed for up to eight weeks.

Mother-Calf Proximity

The mother stays within 20–30 m of her calf.

Nursing Session Characteristics

Nursing, which usually lasts two to four minutes, includes licking the calf's entire body and suckling.

Nursing Frequency

The infant is typically suckled once during the day and one to two times at night.

Previous Calf Behavior

A female's previous calf usually resists separation from her.

Calf Grazing Onset

By two months old, the calf starts grazing alongside its mother, and will seek protection from her if threatened.

Post-Four-Month Grooming Behavior

After four months, the mother no longer licks the calf, though she may still groom it.

Weaning Age

Calves are weaned at eight to nine months old.