FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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The swamp-dwelling sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) is a semi-aquatic antelope species that is also called a marshbuck. Its elusive nature makes it a rare occurrence in the grasslands of African countries. The animals are crepuscular which means these antelopes are most active during dusk and dawn, but they can sometimes be seen during the night as well when they try to escape from predators like leopards. They have various features to suit the swampy habitat such as splayed hooves for treading on soft grounds and their coat has waterproofing oil. It is a dimorphic species where the size and color vary with sex. Horns are present only in the males while the females have no horns. The female has white stripes on their body that are lacking in the male. The maximum population of these animals is found near swamps with dense vegetation cover. The feeding habits of the sitatunga include grasses and leaves of bushes found near a swamp. Although the sitatunga is listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, hunting the animal for its meat and coat has reduced the population to some degree.
If you like what you read, why not check out royal antelope facts and spiral-horned antelope facts.
The sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) is a species of antelope.
The sitatunga belongs to class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, and the family Bovidae.
The estimated population of sitatunga in Africa is around 170,000. It is not found outside the African continent.
You will find populations of the sitatunga throughout central Africa. Their habitat can be found both in protected areas and in the wild jungles of Africa. Although rare, you might spot some of them in West Africa as well in places like Guinea, Gambia, and Senegal. The larger habitats of the antelopes are found in the Congo Basin region, southern Ghana, and the marshy savannas of central Africa. Their range is widespread in Ethiopia, Botswana, and Namibia. The area around Lake Victoria has quite a large population of the sitatunga.
The sitatunga is a swamp-dwelling antelope species that inhabits muddy swamps and marshes which have dense vegetation cover. These antelopes are found to occupy the deepest areas of a swamp as they are a semi-aquatic species. It has been observed that sitatungas create paths through papyrus and tall reeds and form vegetation platforms by trampling and circling the grass repeatedly. The species is known for its swimming abilities as people have seen them swim for many miles. If the animal feels threatened, it can submerge its body in the water exposing only the nose above the water surface.
The males are solitary animals as adults but might form small groups while they are young. The females always stay in a herd.
The sitatunga has been observed to live for as long as 22 years in captivity while their longevity in the wild is about 10 to 15 years.
Although they remain separate, the males and females come together during breeding to form a mating fair. The breeding takes place all year round. The average gestation period is about 247 days. The males attain sexual maturity in one year while the females in two years. The birth of a sitatunga calf takes place on dry land in the swamp in a part where the vegetation is trampled down. The mother visits the calf for suckling while the latter remains on the trampled mat. On average, the females give birth to a single calf at a time. After being nursed for about six months, the young sitatunga goes apart from its mother.
As per the reports of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the sitatunga is a species of Least Concern with a decreasing population trend. But the development of swamp regions by humans outside the protected areas has led to habitat loss of these animals. The loss of water has reduced the food source in these regions. Excessive hunting has also reduced the populations in some places of Africa.
The sitatunga can be distinguished by the presence of long, splayed hooves on their legs that help them to walk in muddy swamp regions. They have waterproofing oil on the coat to adapt to the aquatic habitat. The females have a chocolate brown colored coat and their counterpart is of a grayish-brown color. The presence of vertical white stripes on the females makes them different. On the other hand, the males possess horns that are long and twisted which are absent in the feminine gender. The young calves have a bright red color and are wooly coated with stripes and spots on their bodies.
The calves of the sitatunga antelope have brightly red-colored fur on their bodies which gives it a cute look.
A single high-pitched bark can be heard from a female sitatunga. The male is heard barking at night to announce their location or alert other members about the possible presence of a predator. You may hear a suppressed roar from the male when it follows a female for mating purposes.
When it comes to the sitatunga, the males are larger than the females. While the females can grow to lengths of 61 in (155 cm) and a height of 35.43 in (90 cm), the males can be 67 in (170 cm) long and 39.37 in (100 cm) tall. The spiral-horned antelope on the other hand can be as tall as 7.8 ft (2.3 m).
Sitatungas are clumsy runners on land and hide in the water from predators. They are very good swimmers and can swim for several miles. The splayed hooves help them to sprint in soft grounds near marshy swamps full of vegetation.
The males weigh as much as 275 lb (124.7 kg) whereas the weight of females is around 126 lb (57 kg). They are heavier than fallow deer whose maximum weight is 205 lb (92.9 kg).
The females and the males have no sex-specific names.
Baby sitatungas are called calves. Sitatunga calves leave their mothers at an earlier age than other antelopes.
The diet of the sitatunga consists of grass in the swamps where they reside. They also take in sedges and bush leaves for food. People have seen the sitatungas feeding on fallen fruit and the bark of trees. Tall reeds are favored as food among submerged sitatungas. Africa’s wild predators like leopards and lions prey on these animals.
No, you would not associate the word danger with the sitatunga.
Although some groups of this antelope species are reared in captivity, the sitatunga is a wild African antelope not suited to being a pet.
The loud barking sound by the male sitatunga alerts other animals that predators are lurking.
Young calves are expected to fend for themselves after only six months of being born.
Although the sitatunga is not endangered, severe loss of habitats and excessive hunting have reduced the populations of this semi-aquatic antelope.
Africa's sitatunga antelope is endemic to the continent and found in swampy habitats.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these saiga antelope facts and Mexican wolf facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable gazelle coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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