Eland antelope
The eland antelope belongs to its own genus, namely the elands. In addition to this antelope species, there is also the giant eland, which is not significantly larger than the other, but has much taller horns.
Lifestyle
What is the lifestyle of the eland antelopes and where do they mainly occur in Africa? The habitat of these antelopes is very diverse; they can be found in open plains and dry savannas as well as in higher regions where the ground is mountainous. Particularly in the east, south and in Central Africa there are suitable areas. To protect themselves from predators, eland antelopes, like other African mammals, live in herds that usually consist of 25 to 35 animals.
Behavior of the Eland Antelope
The group is led by an adult bull that has gathered several females and their young around him. However, it is also common for a herd to have several males that then fight for dominance within the herd. For these fights, the animals clash their horns until the inferior bull gives up. If the food supply is abundant and conditions are otherwise good for the antelopes, the group can quickly grow to more than 700 members. Such large herds, however, only stay together for a limited time and can dissolve just as quickly as they formed.
Special Features
What are the special features of the eland antelope? The most noticeable are the large horns and the shoulder humps that both sexes have. Furthermore, the lighter transverse stripes on the animal's back, which can number between 2 and 15, are relatively conspicuous. In addition, adult males can measure 2 to 3 meters in body length and weigh between 500 and 1000 kilograms. With these measurements, the eland antelope is the largest antelope species found in Africa.
