What is the difference between the male and female Greater Kudu?
The Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is an ungulate (hoofed) mammal in the Bovidae family of cattle and antelopes.It is a browser, eating plants, leaves, flowers, and fruit. It is native to the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa.
A male Greater Kuduis called a bull and a female is called a cow.
Both the male and the female Greater Kudu have a sandy-brown body with huge cupped ears, a white chevron stripe between its eyes, 6-10 vertical white stripes on its sides, a ridge of dark hair along its back, and a short, bushy black-tipped tail.
The main difference between the male and the female Greater Kudu is the presence of horns. Only the male has horns – the horns have two spirals. The male’s horns are 100-140 centimetres (39-55 inches) long.
The male Greater Kudu has a beard on its throat area, whereas the female Greater Kudu sometimes has a small, white fringe on her throat area.
The male Greater Kudu often has markings on its nose, whereas the female Greater Kudu does not have nose markings.
The male Greater Kudu is much larger than the female Greater Kudu. The male stands up to 150 centimetres (59 inches) tall at shoulder height and 250 centimetres (98 inches) in length, whereas the female stands up to 100 centimetres (39 inches) tall at shoulder hieight and 190 centimetres (75 inches) long.
The male Greater Kudu makes more noise than the female Greater Kudu. The male makes grunts, hums, and gasping noises.
The male Greater Kudu lives in herds of 2-10 male individuals, whereas the female Greater Kudu lives in small herds with their young and baby calves.
Location of photographs: Kenya and Parc Zoologique de Paris in Bois de Vincennes, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM