Tsessebe - Damaliscus
lunatus
An antelope of seasonally flooded
grasslands, the tsessebe is usually dound in habitats where woodland
meets grassy plain and it does pareticularly well in the Okavango
Delta. It stays close to water, following the receding waters in
the dry season - a preference borne out by its local name in some
areas which is synonymous with 'mud'.
Elsewhere in African this large antelope
is called topi. Tsessebe may be identified by their sloping backs,
dark brown coloruing with a distinct irredescent purplish sheen,
outward curving and widely set horns. They congregate in large herds
in the savuti marsh in the winter months and in smaller herds in
Moremi and the Okavango.
They frequently can be seen using a
termite hill as a vantage point to check for approaching danger
and will seldom be found in areas where there are not termite hills.
They wipe their faces on the ground, on low grasses or on termite
mounds as part of their scent-marking ritual to demarcate their
territory. They may often be seen on their knees rubbing their faces
and horns in mud and then vigorously slinging the mud about. They
also nod away to each other, especially common in male groups. This
is possibly a way of asserting dominance.
They are reputed to be the fastest
antelope and can apparently reach speeds of up to 100km/hour with
their deceptive brounding run. This speed is their main form of
defence but it can be used against them by cheetah who trip them
up and throw them off balance.
Mothers only accept their offspring
until the next calf is born and juveniles may be forced to join
bachelor herds as young as eight months old. It is interesting to
note that bachelor herds often include yearling females which have
been excluded from the herd by the dominant male.
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