Physical description
The elands are spiral-horned antelopes belonging to the Bovid tribe of Tragelaphini. Females weigh 300–600 kg (660–1,300 lb), measure 200–280 cm (79–110 in) from the snout to the base of the tail and stand 125–153 cm (49–60 in) at the shoulder.Bulls weigh 400–1,000 kg (880–2,200 lb), are 240–345 cm (94–136 in) from the snout to the base of the tail and stand 150–183 cm (59–72 in) at the shoulder. The tail adds a further 50–90 cm (20–35 in).
Coats are generally smooth at most of the body with a rough mane. Females have a tan coat, while males have a darker tan coat with a blueish-grey tinge; there may also be a series of white stripes vertically on the sides of bulls (mainly in parts of the Karoo in South Africa). But as males age they tend to turn a grayer color.
Males have dense fur on their foreheads and a large dewlap. Both sexes have horns, about 65 cm (26 in) long and with a steady spiral ridge (resembling that of the bushbuck). The horns of males are shorter (17–26 in) and thicker than the females (20–27 in), which are more pointed. The female's horns are wider set and thinner than the male's. The eland has a mass of about 650 kilograms, which is the double of the kudu. They have a hump at the shoulder and a broad fold of skin hanging from the neck.[12] Elands are said to be one of the slowest antelopes and can even jump over a height of 2.5 meters or above.
Elands have an average lifespan of 15–20 years, and some have been known to live for as many as 25 years (Pappas 2002). When walking, tendon or joints in the eland's foreleg produce a sharp clicking sound, the cause of which has not been widely investigated. The sound carries some distance and is a good indication of an approaching herd. Scientists take it as a form of communication in elands.
Sociability and reproduction
Females have sexual maturity at 15–36 months and males at 4–5 years. Mating may occur anytime after reaching sexual maturity, especially observed during the rainy season. This is due to the gathering of all elands to feed on lush green plains full of grasses, in which some males and females start mating each other in separate groups. Males chase the females in order to know if she is in estrus by testing her urine. Usually a female chooses the most prevailing and fit male to mate with. Sometimes she runs away from attracted males trying to mate, causing more attraction. This even results into fights between attracted males, in which the hard horns help strongly. Males usually keep close contact with females in the mating period. Females are able of conceiving at the age of 2.5. Females have a gestation period of 9 months, and at once she can give birth to 1 calf only.There are 3 different social groups - the first one is the males group, the smallest one living close to each other and sticking firmly over a particular food or water source. The males group are always roaming and aren't stable. Secondly, the female group is much larger in size and covers greater areas. It travels around the plains full of grass in wet periods and during the dry periods it prefers bushy areas. In a recent experiment it was found that females have a complex linear hierarchy. it is often thought that it is the mother which gives certain female's dominance. Thirdly are the nursery groups, which is naturally formed when females give birth to calves. In no more than 24 hours the mother and calf join this group. The calves start befriending each other and stay back in the nursery group while the mother returns to the female group. The calves leave the nursery group when they're at least 2 years old and join the males and females group as per as their sex.
source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
