O. Artiodactyla

F. Bovidae

length

length of horns

weight at birth

The waterbuck, or water kob, is easily recognised from the shape of its horns, only present in males, with their heavy ridges and backward curve. Another characteristic trait is the ring-shaped mark on the rump, contrasting sharply with the dark colour of the rest of the waterbuck's body. Its long, thick hair seems incongruous for an animal living in a hot climate, but this hair, impregnated with an oily substance, provides excellent insulation when the waterbuck remains motionless in the water to hide from predators.

The waterbuck lives in forested areas with clearings, always near water, throughout the whole of western Africa south of the equator. It forms groups of between 6 and 25 animals, consisting of females, calves and one adult male, who defends the herd's territory. It feeds mainly on grasses and, during the rainy season, on the leaves of shrubs. Females give birth to a single calf in the fall, at the beginning of the rainy season. If it is a female, it will remain with the maternal group; if it is a male, it will leave its mother to join a herd of young bulls, until the age of 5 or 6 years, when it will attempt to acquire a territory of its own.