Waterbucks in Kenya Description
The waterbuck is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It is placed in the genus Kobus of the family Bovidae.
It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833. The thirteen subspecies are grouped under two varieties: the common or ellipse waterbuck and the defassa waterbuck.
The head-and-body length of Waterbucks is typically between 177–235 cm and the average height is between 120 and 136 cm. A sexually dimorphic antelope, males are taller as well as heavier than females. Males reach approximately 127 cm (50 in) at the shoulder, while females reach 119 cm.
Males typically weigh 198–262 kg and females 161–214 kg. The coat color varies from brown to grey. The long, spiral horns, present only on males, curve backward, then forward and are 55–99 cm long.
Waterbuck are rather sedentary in nature. A gregarious animal, the waterbuck may form herds consisting of six to 30 individuals. These groups are either nursery herds with females and their offspring or bachelor herds. Males start showing territorial behavior from the age of five years but are most dominant from the age of six to nine. The waterbuck can not tolerate dehydration in hot weather, and thus inhabits areas close to sources of water.
Predominantly a grazer, the waterbuck is mostly found on grassland. In equatorial regions, breeding takes place throughout the year, but births are at their peak in the rainy season. The gestational period lasts for seven to eight months, followed by the birth of a single calf.
Waterbuck inhabit scrub and savanna areas along rivers, lakes, and valleys. Due to their requirement for grasslands as well as water, the waterbuck have a sparse ecotone distribution. The IUCN lists the waterbuck as being of Least Concern. More specifically, the common waterbuck is listed as of Least Concern while the defassa waterbuck is Near Threatened.
The population trend for both the common and defassa waterbuck is downwards, especially that of the latter, with large populations being eliminated from certain habitats because of hunting and human disturbance.
There are two types of Waterbucks in Kenya. The Northerner or Defassa waterbuck has a whitish rump while the Southern common Waterbuck has a large white ring on its rump. Waterbucks are stout and strongly built and have a rough coat.
Waterbucks eat grass, leaves, buds, and shoots. They particularly like walking through the woods and can be seen at Lake Naivasha in small groups grazing. The combination of their color and apparently large liquid eyes is a sight to behold.