The Ugandan kob (Kobus kob thomasi), appears on the coat of arms of Uganda, alongside the Crested Crane, representing the abundant wildlife present in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. It is a subspecies of the kob, a type of antelope. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa in South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Ugandan kob is normally reddish-brown, differentiating it from other kob subspecies. Its Physique
The Ugandan kob is similar in appearance to the Impala, but it is more sturdily built. Only the males have horns, which are lyre-shaped, strongly ridged and divergent. Males are slightly larger than females, being 90 to 100 cm (3.0 to 3.3 ft.) at the shoulder, with an average weight of 94 kg, while females are 82 to 92 cm (2.7 to 3.0 ft.) at the shoulder and on average weigh about 63 kg. Apart from the throat patch, muzzle, eye ring and inner ear, which are white, the coat is golden to reddish-brown, the colour differentiating it from other kob subspecies. The belly and inside of the legs are white, and the front of the forelegs are black.
Where They Dwell
This subspecies is native to East Africa. It occurs in South Sudan, to the west of the Nile, Uganda and the north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Its range used to extend into northwestern Tanzania, where it grazed the grasslands margining Lake Victoria, and into southwestern Kenya, but it has been extirpated from these countries. It is typically found in open or wooded savanna, within a reasonable distance of water, and it also occurs in grasslands near rivers and lakes. Its habit of lying out in open grassland make it an accessible target for poachers, and 98% of the present population are found in national parks and other protected areas.
Their Organization
Ugandan Kobs are herbivores and feed largely on grasses and reeds. The females and young males form loose groups of varying size which range according to food availability, often moving along watercourses and grazing in valley bottoms. One group in South Sudan was recorded as travelling 150 to 200 km (93 to 124 mi) during the dry season. Sometimes nonbreeding males form their own groups. Females become sexually mature in their second year, but males do not start breeding until they are older.
Larger populations of kob tend to have a Lek mating system, the females living in loose groups and only visiting the traditional breeding grounds in order to mate. For this purpose, males hold small territories of up to 200 m (660 ft.) in diameter, the smallest territories being in the center of
crowded leks. Calving takes place at the end of the rainy season; a single calf is born in November or December, after a gestation period of about nine months.
The Uganda kob can live up to 17 years of age.
Their Habitat
The Ugandan kob prefers open habitats characterized by short green pasture. These include grasslands, savanna woodlands and floodplains close to permanent sources of water. That is why on your trip to Uganda, you find huge numbers of the Kobs in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
These parks are characterized by vegetation fit for the survival of the Ugandan Kobs with endless savannah woodlands and are both close to huge water bodies. They avoid wetlands or areas covered by dense trees. This helps them spot any danger in terms of predators like lions and leopards.
Habits and Lifestyle
Kobs live in groups of either males or females and calves ranging from 4 to 50 animals. When moving in search of water, the females are in lead followed by young ones (learn from mothers) and males follow in line.
Females are known for being more social and move a lot more than the territorial males. The males will set up territories in the best habitats available comprised of females and their calves. The males that are less territorial, and live in bachelor herds.
The male Kobs are territorial and keep dominance over specific areas but this can be undone by other males through ritual fighting by clashing and twisting each other’s horns. If he loses, he is forced out to join the bachelor herds until he regains strength to try and take back his territory. Holders of territories are constantly being challenged by strong new younger male Kobs.
Unlike other types of antelopes, the males use a softer ‘human’ approach towards ‘courting females.’ The male will not force the female to become part of his herd during and after mating, rather he ‘convinces’ her to stay by making soft noises and whistling through the nostrils. This sound resounds across the entire breeding area (Lek).
Diet & Eating Habits
The Uganda kob is a herbivorous animal. This means that it feeds mainly on short tender grasses and reeds. They are known for forming small herds of varying sizes depending on the availability of food in the area. Most of the feeding takes place in close proximity to a water source. There is still a good number of ‘Kobus kob thomasi’ in Uganda and DRC. It is however believed that the numbers are decreasing slightly. This is suspected to be because of the fact that the habitat protected areas aren’t increasing in size.
Be sure to come to Uganda to see these beautiful creatures, masters of seduction.
