sitatunga vs bushbuck

However, only a few are of these parks and reserves are well-protected and managed. The tail is 14–37 cm (5.5–14.6 in) long. [9] The sitatunga hold small home ranges near water bodies [25] In savannas, they are typically found in stands of papyrus and reeds (Phragmites species and Echinochloa pyramidalis). [18] The rubbery, shaggy, water-repellent coat is minimally affected by slimy and muddy vegetation. Hearing is acute, and the ears are so structured that the animal can accurately determine the direction from where a sound has originated. [22] Individuals generally associate only with their own sex. Sitatunga interact with each other by first touching their noses, which may be followed by licking each other and nibbling. Sitatunga don’t only fall victim to natural predators. A receptive female will raise her head with her mouth wide open, following which the male will begin attempts at mounting. [22][23] They seldom leave their swamp habitat during the daytime. The wedge-like shape and lowering of the head, coupled with the backward bend of the horns (in males) provides for easy navigation through dense vegetation. Even if the female flees, the male continues pursuing her steadily, without showing any sign of hurry. Males reach approximately 81–116 cm (32–46 in) at the shoulder, while females reach 72–90 cm (28–35 in). [5] Predators of the sitatunga include lions, wild dogs, crocodiles and leopards. [22], Females are sexually mature by one year of age, while males take one-and-a-half-year before they mature. When females gather, the males compete among each other for the right to mate, showing polygyny in males. Males develop a rough and scraggy mane, usually brown in colour, and a white dorsal stripe. [Vera Rduch, 2013. Sitatunga tend to frequent the deepest, densest parts of the swamp, where they make themselves even more inconspicuous with slow and deliberate movements, often standing and ruminating in water up to their shoulders. They are antelopes with geometrically shaped white patches or spots on the most mobile parts of the body — the ears, chin, tail, legs, and neck. General EnquiriesAdvertisingEditorsTravel with usCEO. The species is of great economic significance for northern Botswana, that produces some of the world's biggest sitatunga trophies. Bushbucks are classified in the phylum Chordata , … But what we had come to see was the sitatunga, and this is one of the best places in the world to spot this secretive, semi-aquatic antelope. The kewel is more related to the nyala, while the imbabala shares traits with the bongo and the sitatunga. The results showed that sitatunga plus bongo (T. eurycerus) form a monophyletic clade with the mountain nyala (T. buxtoni) and kéwel (T. They submerge their entire bodies, both when swimming and to avoid detection from predators, with only their nose and eyes poking above the water. Alarmed animals may stand motionless, with the head held high and one leg raised. [27] The rutting male approaches the female in a lower bending posture, sniffing her vulva. A few weeks too early / late or a few kilometers off course and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. The two remain together for one or two days, during which time the male ensures that no other male can approach the female. The sitatunga is confined to swampy and marshy habitats. [9] Speke pointed out that, though "closely allied" to the waterbuck, the sitatunga lacks stripes and is spotted instead. Its splayed feet make it an accomplished swimmer. [1][28] Its status is unclear in Chad, Ghana, Guinea, Burundi and Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, forest-savanna … The bushbuck stands about 1 … The sitatunga is almost indistinguishable from the nyala, except in pelage and spoor. Guest 16-Apr-2013 15:54: thanx a lot, now i know the differences between kudu,nyala and bushbuck The floodplain was below us, and we watched as one by one, sitatunga emerged silently from the dense beds of phragmites and papyrus to graze in the open. The average lifespan for a sitatunga in the wild is 12 years (and up to 22 years in captivity). It is distinguished by its long, splayed hooves. The rams … Males often utter a low bellow on coming across a female or a herd of females in the mating season. After the birth, the female hides her calf on a vegetation platform, secluded in dry reeds for protection. PhD Thesis in Zoology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. 287 pp.]. Destinations, Hwange, Natural history, Zimbabwe. [27] Sitatunga move along clearly marked tracks in their swampy habitat, often leading to reed beds. The western or lowland bongo, Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus, is a herbivorous, mostly nocturnal forest ungulate … Tiny primate: new species of mouse lemur discovered, Elephant kills safari guide in Greater Kruger, CEO note: Free at last + Hwange + the edge, The Edge of Existence and human-wildlife conflict – we interview James Suter, Confiscated parrots fly free again over DR Congo forests. She also found sitatunga hair in the scat of civet and white-tailed mongooses, who must have fed on sitatunga carrion as scavengers. related species are the bongo Tragelaphus eurycerus, the sitatunga T. spekei, the . Kasanka is also home to a unique and spectacular annual migration of several million straw-coloured fruit bats. The sitatunga and bushbuck are close enough genetically to produce viable hybrids in captivity, and almost indistinguishable from the nyala except for pelage and hooves. Sitatunga breed throughout the year, females usually producing a single offspring, after an approximate seven month gestation period. Another interesting fact about sitatunga legs is that their pasterns (the part of the leg just above the hoof) are flexible, this unusual leg construction makes it easy for sitatunga to run on damp surfaces. scriptus). 2005), This page was last edited on 20 August 2020, at 13:30. Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekei) The sitatunga ( Tragelaphus spekii ), a highly restricted semiaquatic tropical antelope similar in appearance to the closely related bushbuck , but the male is larger with a … The Bushbuck is a close relative of the Kudu and the Nyala. A calf will weigh between 3.5 and 4 kilograms at birth and potentially double in weight during its first months. The grazing sitatunga glowed golden in the fading light. [12], On the basis of physical characteristics such as hair texture, coat colour and the coat stripes, up to ten subspecies of the sitatunga have been described. [5], The sitatunga is not territorial. At the end of the day, we returned to Vivienne’s Hide, as the sun began to sink in the sky and were rewarded with a spectacular sunset tinting the flood plain orange and scarlet. We publish inspiring and thought-provoking stories and photo galleries about African wildlife and safaris for our sophisticated international community. Mothers communicate with their calves by bleats. Sitatunga, Marshbuck [Tragelaphus spekii sp] Appearance. The bull bushbuck … [4] The scientific name has often been misstated as T. spekei, and either Speke or Sclater is referred to as the binomial authority. Celebrate Africa and do good. Though common, even abundant, in African swamps and permanent marshes, the sitatunga is one of the most secretive and least-known of Africa’s large antelopes. Like the gerenuk, the sitatunga may stand on its hindlegs to reach higher branches of trees, or even use its horns to pull down the branches. We were in Vivienne’s Hide in Kasanka National Park, Northern Zambia. Species in Umbelliferae and Acanthaceae are preferred in Saiwa Swamp National Park (Kenya), and Fabaceae species are preferred in Bangweulu and Busanga (in Kafue National Park). The sitatunga, or marsh buck, T. spekii, is a large antelope found in swampy forests in central Africa; it is a good swimmer, but it is awkward on land. The calf takes time to master the specialised gait of the sitatunga, and thus often loses its balance and falls in water. Their age can often be told by looking at the colour of their coat; as they age their coats turn from a light russet brown to a darker greyish brown colour. [26] Another study showed that annual floods affect the seasonal movement and diet of the species. Other threats include the increasing loss of wetlands that has led to isolated populations, long-term changes in the water level that affect nearby vegetation and consequently their diet. [15], Sitatunga are selective and mixed feeders. Formerly it was common throughout Gambia, but now it is confined to a few inaccessible swamps; a population has been introduced in the Abuko Nature Reserve. Formerly and alongside the Cape bushbuck it was generically known as the bushbuck, however, it has since been found to be a species in its own right, with a separate geographic distribution.Of all the other tragelaphine antelopes, the harnessed bushbuck … Researchers estimate that the global population on sitatunga is somewhere around 170,000. At the time of mounting the female lowers her head, while the male first bends and then straightens his forelegs and rests his head and neck on her back. This evidence shows that these two bushbuck species are more closely related to other tragelaphines than to each other; the Imbabala being closest to the Bongo (T. eurycerus) and Sitatunga … The pasterns are flexible,[16] and the hooves, banana-like in shape,[19] can reach a length of up to 16 cm (6.3 in) in the hindlegs and 18 cm (7.1 in) in the forelegs. The early morning mist hovered over the marshland as the sun crept above the tangled, thick reeds, turning the sky from violet and brooding grey to pale pink. (Estes, 1991) Sitatunga is a … [4] However, according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Article 50.1.1) and the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, that acknowledge the person who first described the species, simply declaring Sclater as the authority in a footnote is insufficient to recognise him as the author. Vast areas of Bangweulu and Busanga are burnt every year, placing animals like the sitatunga at grave risk given the inflammability of swamps. The harnessed bushbuck or kéwel (Tragelaphus scriptus) is a small to medium-sized antelope widespread in west and central Africa. Males are larger, and chocolate brown with long, spiralled ivory-tipped horns, a mane and white stripe down their spine. [21] Though sitatunga commonly form pairs or remain solitary, larger groups have also been observed. [4], The coat colour varies geographically, but, in general, is a rufous red in juveniles and chestnut in females. [5] Only the males possess horns; these are spiral in shape, have one or two twists and are 45–92 cm (18–36 in) long. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Africa at the age of 21, Sarah Kingdom is a mountain climber and guide, traveller, yoga teacher, trail runner and mother of two. And wouldn’t that be a pity? There are no seasonal restrictions on hunting bushbuck in South Africa, so they can be hunted year round. In Zambia vast areas of the Bangweulu and Busanga swamps are burnt every year, placing animals like the sitatunga at grave risk. As a by-product, she also collected information on the park’s sitatunga, as the antelope overlap both in distribution and diet throughout the park. [2], In Senegal, intensive hunting for meat and habitat degradation have made the sitatunga very rare. Safari company White patches can be seen on the throat, near the head and the chest. [9] Hybrids between bongo and sitatunga have proved to be fertile. Ecology and Population Status of the Puku Antelope (Kobus vardonii LIVINGSTONE, 1857) in Zambia. In some parks they have even been recorded feeding on elephant dung, obtaining nutrients from undigested seeds. As the sun rose and the mist dissipated, a herd of elephants made their way across the flood plain, and one by one, the sitatunga melted away into the reeds. Check out our bushbuck sitatunga selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. [18] The pointed toes allow it to walk slowly and almost noiselessly through the water. This barking may be used by females to warn off other females. Bush bucks are smallest members of the spiral horned antelope. Significant populations still exist in countries such as Cameroon, Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Tanzania and Zambia. Subscribe to enjoy more stories like this – join our tribe. The head-and-body length is typically between 136–177 cm (54–70 in) in males and 104–146 cm (41–57 in) in females. Sweet potato was the most preferred crop. It is sexually dimorphic, with males considerably larger than females. 287 pp.]. [Vera Rduch, 2013. The mother gazes and nods at the calf to summon it for nursing. [1][28], International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T22050A9352077.en, "Grouping patterns, reproduction, and dispersal in a population of sitatungas", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sitatunga&oldid=973994960, Mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Phylogenetic relationships of the sitatunga from combined analysis of all molecular data (Willows-Munro et.al. [27] Lifespan recorded in captivity averages 22 to 23 years. The species was first described by the English explorer John Hanning Speke in 1863. [15], The sitatunga is an amphibious antelope (meaning it can live on both land and water) confined to swampy and marshy habitats. is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland.Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck is, in fact, a complex of two geographically and phenotypically distinct species. Click here to receive our stories and photo galleries via email. Dr Vera Rduch completed her thesis on puku in Kasanka National Park. [7][8], Within Tragelaphus, the kéwel, bongo, sitatunga and nyala (T. angasii) are particularly close relatives. Bushbuck or Imbabala [Tragelaphus sylvaticus] Appearance The very sharp horns render the Bushbuck very dangerous when wounded. mtDNA and nDNA data were compared. Founded in … Delighted with our morning, we headed back to camp. However, these factors may not be reliable since hair texture could vary with the climate, while pelage colour and markings vary greatly among individuals. Males have horns, which are between 10 … They share their habitat with the Nile lechwe in the Sudd swamps and with the southern lechwe in Angola, Botswana and Zambia. We stayed till we could see them no longer, and as the moon rose, climbed down the ladder and left them in peace. [9] There is a chevron between the eyes of the males. The female may move slowly or react nervously. The sitatunga is Africa’s only amphibious antelope, and they are specially adapted to their habitat. [1], The sitatunga is native to Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. [1], Around 40 percent of the populations (based on the overestimate of 170,000) occurs in protected areas, mainly in Okavango Delta and Linyanti and Chobe swamps (Botswana); Dja Faunal Reserve and Lobéké National Park (Cameroon); Bangassou (Central African Republic); Odzala National Park, Lake Télé Community Reserve, Likouala and Salonga National Park (The Democratic Republic of Congo); Monte Alén National Park (Equatorial Guinea); Saiwa Swamp National Park (Kenya); Akagera National Park (Rwanda); Moyowosi and Kigosi Game Reserves (Tanzania); Bangweulu and Busanga Swamps (Zambia). Head and body length of a Sitatunga ram measures 1.5 to 1.7 m, with a tail of 200 to 250 mm. Bushbuck Outdoors is a 100% e-commerce clothing & outdoor gear company, our brands are Bushbuck & Seabuck, proud to be owned & operated from New Zealand, & shipping internationally. Bushbuck are typically taken on a 7-10 day plains game hunt in conjunction with other animals, plains game or dangerousgame. For descriptive purposes and hunting bushbuck in Africa information, only the above two will be mentioned. While it is localised and sporadic in western Africa, the sitatunga is still common in the forests of central Africa and certain swampy regions in central, eastern and southern Africa. Their age can often be told by looking at the colour of their coat; as they age their coats turn from a light russet brown to a darker greyish brown colour. Their long, splayed hooves allow them to walk across islands of floating vegetation and wet terrain without … Sitatunga are good swimmers, but limit themselves to water with profuse vegetation in order to escape crocodiles. A study in Kenya recorded a herd of as many as nine individuals, comprising an adult male, four females and four juveniles. They are found in more than 25 African countries, with almost 40% living in protected wilderness areas. Moreover, the coat might darken and the stripes and spots on it might fade with age, especially in males. [9] The coats of males darken with age, becoming gray to dark brown. Females are fawn-coloured with vertical white stripes and spots across their rump, to provide camouflage in dappled light. On the other hand, though the animal is hunted by locals primarily for food, Botswana still supports a large portion of the total population. In 2005, Sandi Willows-Munro of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban) carried out a mitochondrial analysis of the nine Tragelaphus species. Ewes are smaller, head … Due to its close association with water, the sitatunga are often described as "aquatic antelopes", like the waterbuck. A calf takes time to master the specialised gait of the sitatunga, and will often, in the early months, lose its balance and fall into the water. Made the sitatunga is not climbing she lives on a vegetation platform, in! 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