Eland

Description and Identification:

Shoulder height                      Males               1,7 m        

                                              Females               1,5 m      

Body mass:                               Males               750 - 1000 kg

                                              Females                500 - 700 kg     

• Body    –fully fawn colored
• Brown patch on the back of the forelegs, just above the knees
• Patch of long, curly brown hair on the forehead
• Band of dark brown along the back
• Tuft of long brown hair on the tip of the tail
• Both sexes have straight, slightly diverging horns

Social Behavior Eland:

• Live in herds
• Small herds   –at times forming big herds
• Cows form nursery herds during calving season
• During this time bulls form bachelor herds
• Individual bulls rejoin nursery herds during rut
• Heavy fighting occurs in herds
• Normally feed during the day but at times also at night
• Jumps up to 2 meter
• Bulls –belching brunt
•   Cows –moo and calves bleat
• Generally very shy and disappear when disturbed

Source:  J D Skinner and R H N Smithers: Mammals of the southern african subregion