Antelopes in Uganda
Antelopes in Uganda: Uganda is one of the world’s most popular tourist destination, Uganda the breathtaking tourist destination is situated in the East Africa region, bordering Kenya in the east, democratic republic of Congo in the west, Tanzania in the south, South Sudan in the north, and Rwanda in the southwest. Uganda generally experiences a modified equatorial climate, which favors the livelihood of animals and the stay of tourists on a safari, which makes it a beautiful destination.
When we talk about wildlife in Uganda, the pearl of Africa never disappoints. For the record, Uganda is a known habitat for a big population of wildlife species, which are found in various protected and conservation areas. Wildlife/ animals in Uganda include lions, leopards, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, white and black colobus monkeys, zebras, buffalo, giraffe, hyenas, antelopes, crocodiles, hippopotamus, and many more.
One of the beautiful animals in Uganda is the antelopes, and this article highlights the types of antelopes you expect to find and see in Uganda while on a safari. Antelopes are native species to the African continent, which thrive in the savannah vegetation covered parks and game reserves. Uganda, as a fascinating tourist destination, hosts a recorded number of 29 species of antelopes. Antelopes are deer-like mammals and members of even-toed ungulate species of animals.
Antelopes are medium-sized mammals, and because of their size, they are eaten as food by big carnivores’ predators, that is, lions, hyenas, and crocodiles. As small animals, antelopes prefer to live in woodlands, bushes, and semi-arid areas for a sense of protection. That is why they avoid being in swampy areas, forests, and pure deserts as they are home to predators. Antelopes have a sharp sense of smell and hearing, most especially in the open, which helps them to perceive danger (these senses are also used in communication).
Still on protection, adult antelopes encircle their young ones to safeguard them from predators. Most antelopes generally use their legs to run from predators as fast as they can for a long period of time. On record, antelopes are very fast animals known for making long strides with their long, slender, and powerful legs.
Antelopes vary and are differentiated according to appearance. Antelopes are covered with a dense coat of short fur with various shades of brown, purple, white, and pale underbodies around different body parts. For example, topis have purple patches, and elands have small patches around the knee.
Uganda is known as home to the largest population of African antelopes, such as eland, greater kudu, Jackson’s hartebeest, waterbuck, semi-aquatic Sitatunga, Grant’s gazelle, Uganda kob, Oribi, topi, and many more.
Among these antelopes are the Jackson’s hartebeest species, which are endemic to Uganda, and the semi-aquatic Sitatunga, a rare antelope species with splayed hooves that help them to adapt to papyrus areas of Uganda.
Antelopes in Uganda are found in Kidepo Valley National Park, Sempali National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park, which hosts the largest population of Antelopes in Uganda.
As already noted, antelopes in Uganda are of different species, and they include
Uganda kobs
Among the types of antelopes, Uganda kobs are the most common antelopes in Uganda and are found in most of the national parks like Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and game reserves like Semuliki Game Reserve, and many more. These kobs are referred to as Uganda kobs because of their national significance, it is used as a national symbol on the coat of arms.
Uganda resembles the impalas, but what differentiates them is that as they grow old, they get darker, especially the female Uganda kobs. In appearance, male ganda kobs are taller and weigh more than the females. Like any other antelope, they are covered by a golden to reddish-brown fur coat and white patches around the neck and underneath the belly, inner parts of both ears, and around the eyes.
The fur on the legs is different, most especially the front parts, as they are black in color. Uganda kobs are fond of living in groups of 40 members, and these groups either consist of only females, males, or juveniles.
Jackson’s hartebeests
Jackson hartebeests are relatively big antelopes and light brown antelopes in color. These kinds of antelopes have a flat face, curved horns, and an elongated forehead. A male Jackson’s hartebeest is usually heavier than the female Jackson’s hartebeest, and these antelopes are found in Kidepo National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. Male Jackson’s hartebeests are fond of creating their own territories where they live, and when they get tired of these territories, they move to form other territories.
Sitatungas
Sitatungas are rare semi-aquatic antelopes. Because of their nature, they are fond of living in swampy areas, marshes, and thick vegetation. Sitatungas have splayed hooves to help live in the swamp vegetation-covered destinations like Bigodi Swamp, Manamba Swamp, Murchison Falls National Park, and many more.
Unlike other antelopes found in Uganda, Sitatungas feed on preferred fresh foliage, browse, fresh grass, and aquatic plants regardless of their herbivore state. As per description and easy identification, it’s only the male Sitatunga that grows horns (these horns are spiral in nature with 1 or 2 twists).
Sitatungas live in a very small group of 4 members; these groups usually consist of two members, that is, a male and a female. Sitatungas have a shaggy, hairy fur coat of various color shades, and the coat is water-resistant, which helps them live in the water of swamps. Sitatungas are usually active in the morning and late evening, which makes early morning and late evening the best time to spot them.
Elands are light yellowish tan colored and fawn colored antelopes with a distinctive black flap of skin between their throat and chest. The Elands present in Uganda are two types: the giant eland and the common eland. In the family of Antelopes, they are considered the largest antelopes among all of them. The giant eland is the largest, and the common eland is the second largest, and both grow approximately to the size of 180 cm and as fat as a cow. Male Elands have twisted, thick, and tightly spiraled horns.
Elands are more active in the morning and evening; unlike other antelopes, they usually sleep during the day for longer hours, thus opting to feed at night, especially during very hot days. The most fascinating feature about the elands is that they can survive for longer without drinking water, and they only drink water when it is available.
Greater Kudu
Greater kudu are a woodland type of antelopes, in the family of antelopes, greater kudu are the second largest antelopes, coming second to the eland. In appearance, kudu have a very narrow body supported by long legs and covered by either brown- grey or reddish-brown colored fur. Kudus have long, elegant spiral horns and 4-12 vertical white side stripes. In size, male kudu are bigger than female ones with large horns; these horns have 2.5 twists, and they only start growing after the bull (male kudu) turns 6 months of age.
Waterbucks
Waterbucks are large antelopes fond of living near water banks and shores. There are about 37 species differentiated according to the color of their fur coats. Waterbucks are also categorized into two categories, that is, ellipsen and defassa waterbucks. Generally, waterbucks have a shaggy coat in reddish-brown and grey shades of color, and as they grow, the color becomes darker.
For easy differentiation, a male waterbuck is darker in color than the female. Waterbucks have long necks, a white muzzle, very light eye brows, and very strong black legs. Though waterbucks stay near water banks and shores, they can stay for about 1-2 days without drinking water. These antelopes are fond of grazing on medium grasses and herbs primarily because they are a source of protein.
Grant’s gazelle
Grant’s gazelle is also one of the most common antelopes in Uganda. By description and appearance, these antelopes have long, sharp, and spiral-shaped horns and are covered by a shiny brown coat all over their body except the lower areas around the belly and the inner thigh, which are covered by pure white fur.
Like other antelopes, Grant’s gazelle stay in groups as a way of protecting themselves and their young ones from predators like lions and leopards. Female antelopes nurse their little ones 4 times every day before they can move, and when they are 6 months old, though weaning, they still stay close to them.
Nyala
Nyala antelopes are a hairy kind of antelopes fond of living in dense bush areas, most especially riverine regions. Nyala resembles the kudu, most especially the female Nyala, which is more confused with bushbuck. Male and female Nyala are very different from each other. Males have horns and dark and shaggy fur; females do not have fur and horns.
Sable
Sables are also categorized as part of the largest antelopes in the antelope family. These antelopes have black faces, covered with a black coat and white patches around their lower, inner ears and belly region. Both male and female sable have long, sharp horns with a ring-like feature.
All these antelopes can easily be spotted upon visiting Uganda on a safari in numerous destinations like Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Semuliki National Park, Kidepo National Park, and many more.
