photo from Djuma Virtual Game Drive; Africam

General:

• They are found all over Southern Africa, but are rare in the Cape and Transkei.
• They are usually found in short grassland area where scattered cover is found.
• They are very selective browsers feeding on shoots etc…
• They have pedal glands which they do not seem to use, but do use the preorrbital glands.
• They also have a gland under the throat area called an intermandibular gland, which is better developed in the males. The only other antelope known to have such a gland is the European Musk Deer.
• They have been recorded to feed on meat by killing young ground birds but probably only during times of hardship.
• They seem to be relatively free of parasites, possibly as a result of their diet.
• They are the only bovine, which scrapes the ground before urinating.
• Males are known to use road or telephone lines as boundaries to their territory.

Breeding:

• They mainly breed around October to December, but can and do breed at any time of year.
• Females give birth to 1 young after a gestation period of 5.5 months.