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Greater Kudu
Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Size: Shoulder height 1,25 – 1,4m
Weight: 200 – 250kg
Kudu’s are a gracious mammal that can jump high, easily clearing a fence. They are grey-brown in color with approximately 6-10 vertical white stripes on the body. You can see a white V on the nose, just under the eyes with white lips and chin. The mane is also partly white. They have big ears. The bulls have majestic corkscrew-shaped horns, that makes him a sought-after trophy. Bulls have a dark beard that stretches down to the front of the chest. They are mainly nonselective browsers that are active at dusk and down, living in family groups of up to 12 animals. Calves are born mainly from January to April.
Oryx / Gemsbuck
Oryx gazella
Size: Shoulder height ±1,2m
Weight: 210 – 240kg
Oryx are unique in the manner that they have a well-developed cooling-off system for blood going to the brain, making them very well adapted for hot conditions. Both sexes have long straight horns. Their fur is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs with a black horse-like tail. Short black mane, black in color continuing onto the tail. They are grazers but browse occasionally. They love dry open areas (semi-desert). Calves are born throughout the year.
Cape Eland
Taurotragus oryx
Size: Shoulder height ±1,7m
Weight: 450 – 900kg
An Eland are remarkably agile and can easily jump over a regular fence, in spite of a heavy physique. They have a slight hump at the shoulders and prominent dewlap. Both sexes have heavy horns that slant backwards and lengths of as much as one meter have been recorded, thus making them a sought-after trophy. They have fawn colored coats. Females are much smaller. Males have a patch of dark hair on their foreheads that covers glandular skin. They are nocturnal mammals and browsers, utilizing a wide diversity of plant species. They do not have a specific breeding season.
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Size: Shoulder height 1,4m
Weight: 260kg
This gregarious antelope is large and robust. They have a brownish-grey shaggy coat with a white collar under the throat. The eyes and nose are patched with white, with the characteristic white ring on the rump. The large, rounded ears are a prominent feature. Only the bulls have long, forward curved horns. They graze mainly grass near permanent water sources. They will browse when grass cover is in a poor condition. The Waterbuck is very dependent on water and will drink daily. Mating activities peak during winter, with single calves being born, occasionally twins, during summer. They are found in herds of up to 30 strong.
Hartebeest
Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest [Alcelaphus lichtensteinii]
There are some biologists who classify the Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest as Sigmoceros lichtensteinii.
Size: Shoulder height 1,25m
Weight: 180 – 200kg
They are large antelope with humped shoulders, sloping back and an elongated head adorned with backward curving s-shaped horns on both sexes. The bulls’ horns are thicker at the base. Their body color is a light tawny, with a rufous saddle extending from the base of the tail to the shoulders. The rump, hind legs and under parts of tail are off-white where the fronts of lower legs are black, as is the tip of the tail. This is a grazer dependent on perennial grasses, preferring an open habitat of new growth in burnt areas, when available. It grazes in the cool of early mornings and late afternoons. Calves are born at the same time, during August and September, which is an anti-predator mechanism. This is a gregarious antelope, with herds consisting of about ten animals.
Blue Wildebeest
Blue Wildebeest or Common or White-bearded Wildebeest [Connochaetes taurinus]
Size: Shoulder height 1,5m
Weight: 180 – 250kg
The dark silver-grey body is marked with dark vertical bands on the front quarters. They are characterized by a long black mane and a beard of hair hanging from the throat and neck. Both sexes grow short curved horns, an adult bull’s horns are heavily bossed. They are seasonal breeders where single calves per cow are born during summer. Calves can run with the herd within minutes after birth. This is a gregarious herbivore, occurring in herds ranging from ten to a few thousand individuals, thus making seasonal migration an optimized survival strategy.
Black Wildebeest
White-tailed gnu [Connochaetes gnou]
Size: Shoulder height ±1,2m
Weight: 130 – 161kg
They have a dark brown to black body with an erect mane and a long whitish tail. Both sexes have heavy, forward curving horns. Calves horns are initially straight, and start to grow the characteristic curvature at approximately nine months of age. They are primarily grazers, selecting for predominantly grass, and occasionally shrubs and herbs. Their preferred habitat is open grass fields, actively avoiding areas with tall grass and dense vegetation. They are found in three types of herds ; territorial bulls competing to attract receptive cows, female herds, and bachelor herds. Generally older bulls are isolated from the social structure.
Impala
Impala [Aepyceros melampus]
Size: Shoulder height 900mm
Weight: 40 – 60kg
This is the most common antelope of the bushveld. Renowned for their spectacular leaps over shrubs and bushes, when alarmed. A very graceful, rufous-fawn antelope, with white underparts. A black stripe extends from the top of the rump down the back of each thigh. Only rams have lyre-shaped horns and reach a length of 700mm. Being a mixed feeder, they browse on shrubbery and grazes grass on gently undulating or flat terrain. They will also eat Acacia pods and fruits when available. Herds seldom wander more than eight km from permanent water supply. Young rams live in bachelor herds. Rams become solitary within their respective domains during the rut. Females live in breeding herds. A single calve is born from September – January.
Caracal
Caracal [Caracal caracal]
Size: Length 109 – 117 cm
Weight: 11 – 15kg
This animal must be regarded as one of the most beautiful Cats in the world, thus making it a sought-after trophy. A large, rufous-fawn Cat with tufted black ears, creamy underbelly with faded orange spots, and long legs. The face has exquisite markings. It moves with grace and a sense of confident power and is an expert climber, taking refuge in trees. It is a strong and fast Cat that can launch 4-5 meters in the air by using its strong hind quarters and limbs, from a sitting position. They do this to pluck flying bird prey from the air. It is a mostly nocturnal, secretive, solitary and an aggressive animal, living in dry savannah and woodland areas, scrubland and rugged terrain in mountainous regions. They have no set breeding period and can have up to 6 kittens.
Warthog
Warthog [Phacochoerus africanus]
Size: Shoulder height 75cm
Weight: 70 – 100kg
Identifiable by the two pairs of ivory tusks protruding from the mouth and curving upwards, makes the Warthog a sought-after trophy. Tusks average at 25cm. The lower pair, which is far shorter than the upper pair, becomes razor-sharp by rubbing against the upper pair every time the mouth is opened and closed. They have disproportionately large heads and “warts”, with a mane down the spine to the middle of the back. It is usually black or brown in color with sparse hair covering the body. They have long tails that end with a tuft of hair, characteristically keeping their tails upright when they run, the tuft waving like a tiny flag. They are day animals and spend most of their time looking for food, kneeling on the front knees while feeding and foraging in a localized area. They are normally found in family groups. Three main groups are encountered: solitary boars, bachelor groups and matriarchal groups. Up to eight piglets are born around Autumn to a sow.
Burchell’s Zebra
Burchell’s Zebra [Equus burchelli]
Size: Shoulder height ±1,3 – 1,4m
Weight: 300 – 320kg
Body stripes are broad and do not extend around the belly. Leg striping is not very prominent. They have rounded ears approximately 160-170 mm long. Front portion of mane forms a black tuft between the ears. Predominantly a grazer, feeding in areas with short grass. Zebra have a strong sensitive upper lip with which it gathers herbage by collecting the grass between the lip and the lower incisors before plucking the harvest. Non seasonal breeder, foals may be born in any month. However, under optimal conditions more foals are born during summer. They are often seen in close association with Wildebeest, other plains Antelope and Baboons. Each individual Zebra has unique markings and act in similar fashion as fingerprints in humans.
Duiker
Common Duiker or Grey Duiker [Sylvicapra grimmia]
Size: Shoulder height ±500 – 520mm (Female being larger)
Weight: 15 – 21kg
The Duiker gets its name from the Afrikaans word ‘duiker’ which means to dive. This refers to a characteristic habit of taking off at high speed in a series of diving jumps when alarmed. They can live independently of water and feed on leaves, fruit and seeds. They are one of the very few antelope to have been known to eat insects and carrion. The Duiker is a tiny, shy antelope with only the males having short horns. The color of the upper parts varies from a greyish-buff to a reddish-yellow. Considerable color variation within populations is observed in some areas. The under parts are usually white. Most have a black band restricted to the lower part of the face near the nostrils.
Steenbok
Steenbok [Raphicerus Campestris]
Size: Shoulder height ±1520mm
Weight: 9 – 13kg
Rufous brown to fawn coat with long, broad ears. Hind quarters and underparts are pure white. Only rams have upright, slender horns projecting above the eyes. Conspicuous black, facial glands are situated in front of the large, dark brown eyes. These pre-orbital glands are noticeable in both sexes. Steenbock are exclusive browsers and are selective for green material such as young leaves, flowers, fruits and shoot tips of various plants. The ability to exist independently of free water is related to its selective browsing habits.
Springbok
Springbok [Antidorcas marsupialis]
Size: Shoulder height ±800 -900mm
Weight: 37-50kg
Their striking body color renders them easily recognizable. Cinnamon colored upper body, white underparts and a broad dark brown stripe on either flank stretching from the front legs to the rear legs. The short white tail is brown tufted. The rump is marked by a triangular-shaped white patch, framed by a dark brown stripe with the apex on the top of the hindquarters. Springboks are selective feeders, whose diet comprises the best fodder available at any given time. They browse in the dry season and predominantly graze after the rainy season when grasses spout green. They are fond of flowers such as of Acacia, and drink water readily, but when open water is scarce, water requirements are met by eating moisture-rich tubers and roots.
Baboon
Chacma Baboon or Cape Baboon [Papio ursinus]
Size: Head to Tail ±1,1 to 1,5m
Weight: 15 – 33kg
The baboon is a large primate with a dog-like face and big, prominent canines. Completely omnivorous, baboons will forest for food but will occasionally kill young and small animals. Chacma baboons are preyed upon by Leopard and Cheetah. Baboons can be very aggressive and will often viciously counter-attack their predators when threatened. Troops are 50 to 100 strong and have a well-developed and complex social structure.
Brown Hyena
Brown Hyena [Hyaena brunnea]
Size: Shoulder height 800mm
Weight: +/- 40kg
This creature has pointed ears and striped legs with a dark brown to black shaggy coat, white shoulders and neck. They have a long cream-colored mane which extends from the back of their neck across the shoulder bones. The head and neck are grey, and the legs, are covered with brown and grey bars. The Brown Hyena is a nocturnal carnivore which has adapted to mostly a scavenging lifestyle. Brown Hyenas are a common sight along the Skeleton Coast, where they feed on detritus washed from the Atlantic Ocean. They tend to avoid areas frequented by the spotted Hyena.
Jackal
Black-backed Jackals [Canis mesomelas]
Size: Shoulder height ±110cm
Weight: 5.5 – 11.4kg
Black backed jackals are a widely distributed species that occur in various habitat but is absent in dense forest areas. They are well-known for their cunning and daring. Mainly nocturnal but seen regularly during the day, this handsome animal has a call to remember. The Black-backed Jackal is omnivorous; they do scavenge but are hunters in their own right.
The erect and pointed ears are a prominent feature. The fur consists of long, dark hair on top of the neck and back. Their flanks and face are beige-buff, sometimes rusty-reddish, they have a black tipped tail. Socially monogamous, a pair of jackal bond for life.