Lesser Kudu

Male Lesser Kudu and Calf at the San Diego Zoo

As you could probably guess, the Lesser Kudu is a smaller species of antelope when compared to the very large Greater Kudu. But like their larger relative, they too have striped bodies and large, spiraling horns that can grow up to 3ft long!

Lesser Kudu are most active during the nighttime hours, and they are relatively shy critters. When startled they give out a barking sound, and can bound away quickly if needed. They are very fast (unlike the slow Greater Kudu) and are also excellent jumpers. There have been reports of leaps as high as 2m!

Because of their shyness, Lesser Kudu are difficult to hunt, and so their population has remained relatively safe from hunting, though poaching does exist in some areas. Even more unfortunate is that the species was extremely susceptible to Rinderpest, a virus that spread across several ungulate species until the early 2000s. The population is currently rebounding, but is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : East Africa
Size : Shoulder height up to 43in (1.1m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Ammelaphus -- Species : A. imberbis