Tragelaphus imberbis (Blyth, 1869)

Scientific Nomenclature

The lesser kudu, scientifically named Tragelaphus imberbis (Blyth, 1869), is a spiral-horned antelope.

Head-and-body Length

Its typical head-and-body length ranges from 110 to 140 cm (43 to 55 in).

Shoulder Height

Males stand about 95–105 cm (37–41 in) tall at the shoulder, while females stand 90–100 cm (35–39 in) tall.

Body Weight

Males generally weigh 92–108 kg (203–238 lb), and females weigh 56–70 kg (123–154 lb).

Tail Characteristics

The bushy tail is 25–40 cm (9.8–15.7 in) long, it is white underneath and ends in a black tip.

Sexual Dimorphism

This species shows clear sexual dimorphism: males are considerably larger than females.

Coat Coloration

Females and juveniles have a rufous coat, while males turn yellowish grey or darker after they reach 2 years of age.

Neck Crest

Males have a prominent black hair crest on the neck, which is not well-developed in females.

Body Stripe Pattern

One long white stripe runs along the back, and 11–14 white stripes branch out toward the sides.

Chest and Throat Markings

The chest has a central black stripe, and there is no throat beard.

Facial Stripe Pattern

A black stripe runs from each eye to the nose, and a white stripe runs from each eye to the center of the dark face.

Facial Chevron Marking

A chevron marking is present between the eyes.

Head and Throat Patches

The area around the lips is white, the throat has white patches, and two white spots appear on each side of the lower jaw.

Underparts and Leg Markings

The underparts are entirely white, the slender legs are tawny and have black and white patches.

Ears and Tracks

Lesser kudus have large, rounded ears; their tracks are similar to those of the greater kudu.

Female Teats

Females have four teats.

Lifespan

Average lifespan is 10 years in the wild and 15 years in captivity.

Horn Presence

Only males have horns.

Horn Length and Twists

The spiral horns are 50–70 cm (20–28 in) long, with two to two-and-a-half twists.

Horn Base Circumference

Their base circumference measures 156–171 cm (61–67 in).

Horn Color and Tips

The slender horns are dark brown and tipped with white.

Horn Development Timeline

Young males begin developing horns at 6-8 months old, and horns reach full length after 3 years.

Habitat Type

The lesser kudu lives in dry bushland regions.

Associated Vegetation

It is closely associated with Acacia and Commiphora thornbush in semiarid areas of northeastern Africa.

Habitat Preferences

The species avoids open areas and long grass, and prefers shaded areas with short grasses.

Additional Habitats

It can also be found in woodlands and hilly areas.

Altitude Range

Generally, it occurs at altitudes below 1,200 m (3,900 ft), though individuals have been recorded at up to 1,740 m (5,710 ft) near Mount Kilimanjaro.

Home Range Size

Individual home ranges for lesser kudus are 0.4–6.7 km² (4,300,000–72,000,000 sq ft); the average home range size is 2.2 km² (24,000,000 sq ft) for males and 1.8 km² (19,000,000 sq ft) for females.

Current Native Range

The lesser kudu is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and it is extinct in Djibouti.

Current Range Confinement

Today it is largely confined to the Horn of Africa.

Historical Southern Range

Historically, its range extended southward from Awash (Ethiopia) through southern and eastern Ethiopia, most of Somalia (except the north and the northeast), and most of Kenya (except the southwest).

Historical Eastern Range

It also originally occurred in southeastern Sudan, and in the northeastern and eastern parts of Uganda and Tanzania.

Arabian Peninsula Evidence

Evidence for the lesser kudu's past existence in the Arabian Peninsula includes a set of horns taken in 1967 from an individual shot in South Yemen, another set from Saudi Arabia, and recent analysis of early and middle Holocene rock art sites in Jubbah and Shuwaymis, Ha'il province, Saudi Arabia.

Activity Periods

The lesser kudu is mainly active at night and at dawn, and seeks shelter in dense thickets just after sunrise.

Camouflage Ability

It can camouflage so well in dense vegetation that only its ears and tail can reveal its location.

Midday Behavior

It rests and ruminates in shaded areas during midday.

Time Allocation

It spends roughly equal amounts of time foraging, standing and lying, and roaming.

Movement Ability

As a slender tragelaphine, the lesser kudu can move easily through dense vegetation.

General Temperament

It is a shy and wary animal.

Alarm Response

When alarmed, it stands motionless.

Predator Response

If it detects an approaching predator, it gives a short sharp bark similar to that of a bushbuck, then makes multiple leaps up to 2 m (6.6 ft) high with its tail raised.

Capture Response

If captured by a predator, it lets out a loud bleat.

Gregariousness

Lesser kudus are gregarious, especially females.

Social Structure

There is no distinct leader or hierarchy in their social structure, and the species has no territorial behavior, so fights are uncommon.

Fighting Behavior

When fighting does occur, lesser kudus interlock their horns and push each other.

Mutual Grooming

Mutual grooming is rarely observed.

Female Association Patterns

Unlike most tragelaphines, females can stay closely associated for several years.

Group Composition

Groups may form consisting of one to three females and their offspring.

Male Dispersal

Juvenile males leave their mothers at one and a half years of age, and may form pairs.

Adult Male Social Behavior

By 4-5 years old, however, males prefer a solitary lifestyle and avoid other males, though four or five males may share the same home range.

Interspecies Association

Lesser kudus do not usually associate with other species, except when they feed in the same area.

Sexual Maturity Age

Both males and females reach sexual maturity by one and a half years of age, but males do not actually mate until they are 4 to 5 years old.

Reproductive Lifespan

Males remain reproductively active up to the age of 14, while females remain reproductive up to the age of 14–18 years; the maximum age for successful lactation in females is 13–14 years.

Breeding Season

There is no fixed breeding season, so births can happen at any time of the year.

Captive Birth Timing

A study at Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic found that 55% of births occurred between September and December.

Rutting Male Behavior

A rutting male tests the urine of any female he encounters, and the female responds by urinating.

Estrus Courtship

After locating a female in estrus, the male follows her closely, and rubs his cheek on her rump, head, neck, and chest.

Courtship Display

He makes gasping movements with his lips.

Mating Behavior

Finally, the male mounts the female, resting his head and neck on her back, in the same way other tragelaphines do.

Gestation Period

The gestation period lasts 7-8 months, after which a single calf is born.

Pre- and Post-birth Isolation

A female that is about to give birth isolates herself from her group, and stays alone for several days after birth.

Newborn Calf Weight

A newborn calf weighs 4–7.5 kg (8.8–16.5 lb).

Juvenile Mortality Rate

Around 50% of calves die within the first six months of birth, and only 25% survive past three years of age.

Captive Juvenile Mortality

A study at Basle Zoo in Switzerland found that 43% of captive-bred offspring died before reaching six months of age; the main causes of this high juvenile mortality were the spread of white muscle disease and deficiency of vitamin E and selenium in diets.

Mortality Factors

Herd size, sex, interbreeding, and season had no effect on juvenile mortality.

Calf Rearing Behavior

The mother hides her calf while she goes out to feed, and returns mainly in the evening to suckle her young.

Calf Identification

She checks her calf's identity by sniffing its rump or neck.

Suckling Duration

In the first month, suckling lasts about 8 minutes.

Mother-calf Communication

The mother and calf communicate with low bleats.

Maternal Grooming

The mother licks her offspring, particularly the perineal region, and may consume its excreta.