Order Artiodactyla Higher classification Kobus | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Kobus leche Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar Kobus, Waterbuck, Sitatunga, Puku, Common tsessebe | ||
The lechwe (Kobus leche), or southern lechwe, is an antelope found in wetlands of south central Africa.
Contents
Leaping lechwe
Range
It is native to Botswana, Zambia, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northeastern Namibia, and eastern Angola, especially in the Okavango Delta, Kafue Flats and the Bangweulu Swamps.
Description
Lechwe stand 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 70 to 120 kg (150 to 260 lb). They are golden brown with white bellies. Males are darker in colour, but general hue varies depending on subspecies. The long, spiral-structured horns are vaguely lyre-shaped, they are found only in males. The hind legs are somewhat longer in proportion than in other antelopes, to ease long-distance running in marshy soil.
Habits
Lechwe are found in marshy areas where they eat aquatic plants. They use the knee-deep water as protection from predators. Their legs are covered in a water-repellant substance which allows them to run quite fast in knee-deep water. Lechwe are diurnal. They gather in herds which can include many thousands of individuals. Herds are usually all of one sex, but during mating season they mix.
Subspecies
Four subspecies of the lechwe have been recognized.
In addition the Upemba lechwe (Kobus anselli) is also considered a subspecies by some authorities (as Kobus leche anselli).
