Gumbo’s Pic of the Day. May 29, 2014: Greater Kudo, Botswana

Everyone remembers the giraffes, lions and elephants they see, but on our last safari in southern Africa the kudos also left quite an impression.  I was especially fond of my photo of the bull kudo highlighted above.  A large healthy specimen, he almost seems to be posing for me.  

Known by some as the “grey ghost of Africa”, kudos are a gray to light brown color and are well camouflaged, blending in with the arid landscape.  When they’re standing still they’re very hard to spot.  But if moving, kudos have a smooth fluid movement like most antelopes, whether running or jumping.  Bulls are characterized by a long set of spiral horns — dramatically sculpted — and weigh up to 300 kg; females are hornless and about half that size.

Kudo buck, Chobe National Park

Kudus tend to be found in small groups, often as a standard family group with several females and their young, and one or two bulls.  But sometimes there’s just a female group with no males, or a bachelor group of 2-3 bulls.

If you order “venison” in a restaurant in southern Africa, chances are you will be served kudo (which is very tender and tasty!).  But they’re more fun to watch than to eat.

Kudo doe, Chobe National Park

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