Southern Lechwe

Description

The Lechwe is a mid-sized antelope that is well adapted to wetlands. The coat is brown or black in the upper parts of the body and white in the lower. It has a blackish coat and a white band on top of the hooves. It has white patches on the nose, the chin and around the eyes. Only the males have horns, which are narrow, pointing backward and toward the sides with the end curving forward. The horns can measure from 60-83 cm.

Ethology

They are gregarious and they live in herds of up to 30 individuals. During breeding season, the males become territorial and keep small territories exclusively for mating. The female herds move freely among the males’ territories. Generally, the females give birth to a calf that will weigh 5 kg at birth, after a gestation period of 7.5 months. The calves remain hidden for 2-3 weeks. They are weaned at 6-7 months of age. 

Interesting facts

They are mainly active in the early morning and late evening. They are better adapted to marshy lands than to dry land. They are good swimmers but they prefer to walk on marshy terrain. Their legs have a substance that repels water and lets them run fast in waterlogged areas.