Red lechwe
| Lechwe | |
|---|---|
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| Adult red lechwes in the Okavango Delta | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Genus: | Kobus |
| Species: | K. leche |
| Binomial name | |
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Kobus leche Gray, 1850 |
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| Subspecies | |
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| Distribution range of lechwe | |
The lechwe (Kobus leche), or southern lechwe, is an antelope found in wetlands of south central Africa.
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.
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.
male
Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
female running
juvenile
Okavango Delta, Botswana
males flighting
Okavango Delta, Botswana
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.
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).
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Wikipedia