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Sitatunga - Tragelaphus spekii
Sitatunga are related to bushbuck and
kudu with whom they share spirally twisted horns and body stripes but
they have a hunched appearance, a dark shaggy coat and narrow face. Only
males carry shallow-spiraled and keeled horns. The average horn length
is 600 mm. The world record is 924 mm. The pelage of ewes is a dark to
reddish–brown with a black band running down the center of the back,
and with pale vertical stripes on the sides, as well as lateral white
bands and spots on the haunches. Both sexes have a white band between
the eyes, and white spots on the cheeks. They also have two distinct white
patches on the body, one above the chest and one on the throat, below
the chin. The tail is black tipped, brown above and white below. Another
characteristic feature of Sitatunga, is the much elongated and splayed
hooves and enlarged false hooves, covered with a swollen leathery pad.
This is an obvious adaptation to the soft, muddy substrate of its habitat.
Feeding preference is for freshly sprouted reed tips, but will also take
aquatic grasses such as Eragrotis inamoena. Extremely specific in their
habitat. They are only found in dense and extensive reedbeds of Papyrus,
Phragmites and Typha. Because of the dense nature of ideal habitats, and
even with high sitatunga densities, observations are understandably rare
and intermitted. One is extremely lucky to even get a glimpse of this
species. They live almost permanently in water and have evolved splayed
hooves to allow them to move easily in mud. The best chances of seeing
this shy animal, other than from the air, is to cruise quietly in a mokoro
or walk around island fringes in early morning and at dusk. |
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