Quick stats of the Waterbuck

• Diet: - Herbivore
• Shoulder Height: - 1.3 m
• Weight: - Male - 252 kg
• Weight: - Female - 240 kg
• Lifespan - 14 years

Description

Waterbuck, as their name implies, are usually found close to permanent sources of water such as rivers or large dams. They are mainly grazers although they will also feed on leafy bits of vegetation.

These big antelope have shaggy grey coats, but their most distinctive feature is the large white circle which runs around their rump. Males have long rippled horns sweeping gently upwards and forwards in a shallow arc.

They are often seen in herds of up to 20 head consisting of a territorial bull, females and their young or bachelor herds of young male bulls. Breeding occurs throughout the year and a single calf is born after a gestation period of 8-9 months.

 

 

Other Names for the Waterbuck

• Waterbok

Distribution

Distribution map of the Waterbuck

Taxonomy of the Waterbuck

• Order - Artiodactyla
• Family - Bovidae
• Sub Family - Reduncinae
• Genus - Kobus
• Species - Kobus ellipsiprymnus