Kob Antelope: Kobus kob
Considered to be the antelope of the floodplains.
Characteristics
Weight and Height
males: wt 207 lb (94 kg), ht 37-40 in (90-100 cm)
females: wt 139 lb (63 kg), ht 32- 36 in (82-92 cm)
Horns
S-shaped, strongly ridged; 16-27 in (40-69 cm)
Color
Golden to reddish brown; white throat patch, rings around eyes and ears; black-fronted legs. Males are typically darker than females.
Coat
Short and glossy
General Locations
Nothern Savanna -- Senegal to Southeast Sudan. Typically found in: Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NP, Uganda; Garamba and Virunga NP, Zaire.
Habitat
The kob antelope is considered a grazer. Kobs are most commonly found on floodplain grasslands where there is an abundance of water and green grass. During the rainy season, kobs graze on short pastures which are on the high floodplains. During the dry season, however, they graze on the greenbelts which border the marshlands.
Activity
Both diurnal and nocturnal; activity peaks early and late in the day.
Social System
Kobs typically live in herds with roughly 5 to 15 (up to 40) members. Males are territorial within 100 to 200 yards; Females travel in herds, but lack an obvious ranking order.
The area grazed by kobs is called the arena. An arena is typically shared by 30 to 40 adults and covers 100 acres (40 ha). 2/3 of the males occupy territory within the arena.
Reproduction
Females calve year-round in East Africa. The gestation period is roughly 8 months. Males become fertile by the age of 3, but do not mate until after they have gained territory.
Predators
All of the large predators like to feed on the kob antelope.
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