The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching.#ConservationTuesday
Greater kudus have both benefited and suffered from
interaction with humans. Humans are turning much of the kudu's natural habitat
into farmland, restricting their home ranges. Humans have also destroyed
woodland cover, which they use for their habitat. However, wells and irrigation
set up by humans has also allowed the greater kudu to occupy territory that
would have been too devoid of water for them previously.
The greater kudu are also a target for poachers for meat and
horns. The horns of greater kudus are commonly used to make Shofars, a Jewish
ritual horn blown at Rosh Hashanah.
The traditional sport of Kudu dung-spitting (Bokdrol Spoeg
in Afrikaans) is practiced in the South African Afrikaner community. The winner
is the contestant who is able to spit one of the antelope’s small, hard dung
pellets the furthest – with the distance measured to where it comes to rest.
An annual world
championship was launched in 1994, with contests held at community events, game
festivals and tourism shows. The world record stands at 15.56m, set in 2006 by
Shaun van Rensburg Addo.
Kudu are highly alert and notoriously hard to approach. When
they detect danger – often using their large, radar-like ears – they give a
hoarse alarm bark, then flee with a distinctive, rocking-horse running motion,
the male laying back his horns to avoid overhead obstructions.
Kudus have a ‘near threatened conservation status’ according
the African Wildlife Foundation.
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