Bohor Reedbuck
Encyclopedia
The Bohor Reedbuck is an antelope
native to central Africa
in the genus Redunca, that mostly lives in grasslands near water.
, a German zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia
, in 1767. As many as seven subspecies
have been recognized, which Kingdon
and Hoffmann had reduced to five.
. Many predators, including lion
, leopard
, spotted hyena
, African wild dog
and Nile crocodile
feed on these reedbucks. Bohor reedbucks can easily hide in grasses and reeds as the colors of their coats match with that of the ground. When threatened, they usually remain motionless or retreat slowly into cover for defense, but if the threat is close they flee, whistling shrilly to alert the others. It hides from predators rather than forming herds in defence. Adult males maintain territories
about 0·2–0·3 km2 in area, and defend them by patrolling instead of marking them.
Most of these antelopes remain solitary. Two to seven adult females and one mature male occupy a shared home range but can not stay together for too long. In Sudan
many large groups have over hundred members in summer
. Male calves are driven away from the herd after six months, and form bachelor herds until they become fully mature at the age of four years. These often form their own groups.
The bohor reedbuck is a herbivore
and prefers grasses tender reed shoots with high protein
and low fiber. It generally feeds in night. If the season is wet, food is abundant. During summer
they feed on other types of vegetation
, like wheat
and other grains, if their normal diet is not available. According to Richard Despard Estes
, a biologist specializing in the behaviour of mammals in mainland Africa
, they may not need water if they are in green pastures, even though they require it much.
at the age of three to four years, while females start their reproductive cycle at just one year of age. Courtship
begins with the male circling the female, making a peculiar bleating noise. Like many other animals, bohor reedbucks also fight over dominance. The gestation
period lasts for 7–8 months. A female can reproduce one offspring
per birth
, which remains well hidden for the first two months of life. Fewer births occur during the dry season, but breeding
is peak during rainy season. The estrus cycle repeats every 9–14 months.
, east to Ethiopia
and south to Tanzania
. The bohor reedbuck inhabits moist and unstable grasslands and swampland
s. It often can adapt well to flooding, drought and fires. Typically found in floodplain and woodland habitats, it has a preference for coastal areas with a lot of tall grass. According to the IUCN, it is mostly found in Benin
, Burkina Faso
, Burundi
, Cameroon
, Central African Republic
, Chad
, Republic of the Congo
, Democratic Republic of the Congo
, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana
, Guinea
, Guinea-Bissau
, Kenya
, Mali
, Mauritania
, Niger
, Nigeria
, Rwanda
, Senegal
, Sudan
, Tanzania, and Togo
(and perhaps in Eritrea
).
where reedbuck is scarce) and poaching
. It is possibly extinct in Côte d'Ivoire
and Uganda
by now. Bohor reedbucks have been a game animal in Africa
in the past. During the dry season, bohors are hunted with dog
s and nets in Uganda
. Bohors with the largest horns are prized by hunters. This also decreased the population. Accrding to the IUCN, major threats for the extinction
of Bohor Reedbuck include drought
s, floodplain
degradation, overhunting, and loss of habitat
.
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
native to central Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in the genus Redunca, that mostly lives in grasslands near water.
Description
The yellow to grayish brown coat of Bohor reedbucks feels rough and oily. The undersides are white in color. A few markings—like a dark stripe on the front of each foreleg, a pale ring of hair around the eyes and along the lips, lower jaw, and upper throat—can be found. Males have thick necks and a pair of horns, that are short and stout, extending backward from the forehead before hooking sharply inwards and forwards at the tips. The horns measure about 25–35 cm. Some Sudanese reedbucks have very long, wide-spreading horns, too. Females lack horns. Males weigh 43–65 kg, while females weigh 35–45 kg. A bohor reddbuck can survive for almost ten years.Taxonomy
It was first described by Peter Simon PallasPeter Simon Pallas
Peter Simon Pallas was a German zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia.- Life and work :Pallas was born in Berlin, the son of Professor of Surgery Simon Pallas. He studied with private tutors and took an interest in natural history, later attending the University of Halle and the University...
, a German zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, in 1767. As many as seven subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
have been recognized, which Kingdon
Jonathan Kingdon
Jonathan Kingdon is a science author, and Research Associate at the University of Oxford.He focuses on taxonomic illustration and evolution of the mammals of Africa. He is a contributor to The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing....
and Hoffmann had reduced to five.
Ecology
Bohor reedbucks are active almost all the time, but often rest in grasslands during middayMidday
Midday is a television show that aired on Australia's Nine Network from 1985-1998. The show aired, like its title suggests, at noon on every weekday and was a 90 minute variety programme with international and local guests. It featured interviews, musical performances and comedy spots...
. Many predators, including lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, spotted hyena
Spotted Hyena
The spotted hyena also known as laughing hyena, is a carnivorous mammal of the family Hyaenidae, of which it is the largest extant member. Though the species' prehistoric range included Eurasia extending from Atlantic Europe to China, it now only occurs in all of Africa south of the Sahara save...
, African wild dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
and Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...
feed on these reedbucks. Bohor reedbucks can easily hide in grasses and reeds as the colors of their coats match with that of the ground. When threatened, they usually remain motionless or retreat slowly into cover for defense, but if the threat is close they flee, whistling shrilly to alert the others. It hides from predators rather than forming herds in defence. Adult males maintain territories
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
about 0·2–0·3 km2 in area, and defend them by patrolling instead of marking them.
Most of these antelopes remain solitary. Two to seven adult females and one mature male occupy a shared home range but can not stay together for too long. In Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
many large groups have over hundred members in summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
. Male calves are driven away from the herd after six months, and form bachelor herds until they become fully mature at the age of four years. These often form their own groups.
Feeding
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
and prefers grasses tender reed shoots with high protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
and low fiber. It generally feeds in night. If the season is wet, food is abundant. During summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
they feed on other types of vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
, like wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and other grains, if their normal diet is not available. According to Richard Despard Estes
Richard Despard Estes
Richard Despard Estes is a biologist specialising in the behaviour of mammals in mainland Africa. He is particularly interested in studying wildebeest...
, a biologist specializing in the behaviour of mammals in mainland Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, they may not need water if they are in green pastures, even though they require it much.
Reproduction
A male reaches sexual maturitySexual maturity
Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can reproduce. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct...
at the age of three to four years, while females start their reproductive cycle at just one year of age. Courtship
Courtship
Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...
begins with the male circling the female, making a peculiar bleating noise. Like many other animals, bohor reedbucks also fight over dominance. The gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period lasts for 7–8 months. A female can reproduce one offspring
Offspring
In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, of a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way...
per birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
, which remains well hidden for the first two months of life. Fewer births occur during the dry season, but breeding
Breeding
Breeding is the reproduction, that is, producing of offspring, usually animals or plants:* Breeding in the wild, the natural process of reproduction in the animal kingdom* Animal husbandry, through selected specimens such as dogs, horses, and rabbits...
is peak during rainy season. The estrus cycle repeats every 9–14 months.
Habitat and distribution
Bohor reedbuck occurs from SenegalSenegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, east to Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and south to Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. The bohor reedbuck inhabits moist and unstable grasslands and swampland
Swampland
In physics, the term swampland is used in contrast to the term "landscape," to indicate physical theories or aspects of such theories which could be true if gravity wasn't an issue, but which are not compatible with string theory...
s. It often can adapt well to flooding, drought and fires. Typically found in floodplain and woodland habitats, it has a preference for coastal areas with a lot of tall grass. According to the IUCN, it is mostly found in Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Tanzania, and Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
(and perhaps in Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
).
Conservation and threats
Though bohor reedbuck is a common and widely distributed species and has least concern, it still faces the threat of habitat loss and degradation due to too many human settlements into its habitat (particularly in west AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
where reedbuck is scarce) and poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
. It is possibly extinct in Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
by now. Bohor reedbucks have been a game animal in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in the past. During the dry season, bohors are hunted with dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s and nets in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. Bohors with the largest horns are prized by hunters. This also decreased the population. Accrding to the IUCN, major threats for the extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of Bohor Reedbuck include drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s, floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
degradation, overhunting, and loss of habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
.
External links
- Animal, Smithsonian Institution, 2005, pg. 251