{"id":60263,"date":"2017-12-23T09:00:41","date_gmt":"2017-12-23T08:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/greater-kudu-the-majestic-east-african-antelope\/"},"modified":"2026-10-10T01:08:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T23:08:23","slug":"greater-kudu-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/safariavventura.com\/en\/greater-kudu-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Greater Cudu: the majestic East African antelope"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tall and imposing with spectacular horns, this animal is one of the most sought-after trophies in Africa. The Cudu<\/strong>(Tragelaphus strepsiceros)<\/i>, <\/strong>also known as Kudu, <\/strong>definitely ranks as one of the most beautiful species to be seen on a classic safari in Tanzania, along with the African lion<\/a>,elephant<\/a> and cheetah<\/a>, and they are nothing more than large African antelopes with long and majestic antlers.<\/p>\n

Cudus are divided into major and minor<\/strong>, Tragelaphus strepsiceros <\/i>and Tragelaphus imberbis, <\/i>and are African ruminants<\/strong> that both live in the forested areas of East Africa. Their beauty and long horns have made them some of the most sought-after prey in Africa. Even <\/i>Ernest Hemingway <\/strong>praised the Greater Cudu, dubbing this shy and elusive animal “the gray ghost<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Despite the majestic and enchanting appearance of this animal, a member of the Bovidae<\/em> family, the Kudu is sadly known as the leading cause of rabies in the areas in which it lives.<\/p>\n

Etymology of the name<\/h2>\n

Kudu<\/strong>, cudu in English, or koodoo<\/strong>, is the Khoikhoi name, the language of a West African ethnic group, used to refer to this antelope.<\/p>\n

“Tragos” (Greek) refers to a goat, and “elaphos” (Greek) to a deer; “strepho” (Greek) means “spiral,” while “strephis” means “twist”; “Keras” (Greek), on the other hand, refers to the animal’s horn. Hence the name Tragelaphus strepsiceros.<\/i><\/p>\n

Characteristics of the Greater Kudu<\/h2>\n

(
\n) The greater kudu stands about 1\u20131.5 meters at the withers and is a rather sturdy and heavy animal. Males, in fact, weigh between 190 and 270 kg<\/strong>, up to a maximum of 315 kg<\/strong>, while females weigh on average between 120 and 210 kg. Furthermore, female kudus are completely devoid of antlers and do not have the typical markings around their noses.<\/p>\n

The smooth short coat varies in color, from gray to grayish brown, with some grayer shades and a darker neck in the breeding season. Both sexes have a short mane from the top of the head to the shoulders, where it forms a ridge and continues down the spine.<\/p>\n

Distinctive features include a white mark shaped like a hook that <\/strong>extends from the eyes across the upper nose and, in some cases, all the way to the large pink ears. There are numerous white markings, including 6\u201310 vertical stripes across the back and on the flanks<\/strong>, variable white patches on the sides of the face, and black patches on the upper lip and chin. The tail is thick and black with a white tip on the underside, and there are black \u201cgarter-like\u201d markings<\/strong> on the upper part of the legs.<\/p>\n

Here you can see a video, shot by Rob The Ranger Wildlife, capturing a beautiful moment in the life of Greater Cudus, namely an antler fight:<\/p>\n