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Classification
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Redunca
arundinum
Southern reedbuck
Taxonomy
General Characteristics
Body Length: 120-160 cm / 4-5.3 ft.
Shoulder Height: 65-105 cm / 2.1-3.5 ft.
Tail Length: 18-30 cm / 7.2-12 in.
Weight: 39-95 kg / 86-209 lb.The body is light brown to grey-brown in colour, with the undersides white. Facial markings include whitish rings around the eyes, and a light chin, while the insides of the ears are lined with white hair. There is a small bare glandular patch at the base of the ears which is black in colour. There is a dark stripe down the front of each foreleg, and the bushy tail has a bright white, fluffy underside. The horns, found only in males, are strongly ridged, and curve backwards, upwards, and finally forwards, forming a "V" when viewed from the front. These grow 25-46 cm / 10-18.4 inches long.
Ontogeny and Reproduction
Gestation Period: 7.5 months.
Young per Birth: 1
Sexual Maturity: 1.5 years.
Life span: 10 years.As parturition approaches, the females breaks away from her mate for 3-4 months. Most biths occur between December and May, and the young lie concealed away from their mothers for up to 2 months. During this "laying up" period, the mother joins her baby once a day for a half hour interval during which time nursing occurs.
Ecology and Behavior
Largely nocturnal in the wet season, the southern reedbuck may be active throughout the day in the dry season. If startled, reedbucks take flight with an odd rocking-horse movement, although they generally stop after a short distance to look back. Old bucks are permanently territorial, holding an area of 35-60 hectares, and generally escort a single female, preventing contact with rival males. Females and young males have an "appeasement dance" which they perform for adult males. This consists of running around at high speed and making long, floating jumps. During this display, the tail is curled upwards, and at every bounce scented air is released fom a pocket in the groin, creating a popping sound. During the dry season, populations converge in lowlands near bodies of water, with individual home ranges varying in size from 5-65 hectares. As the rains moisten the landscape, they disperse widely. Average lifetime home ranges have been estimated as 123 hectares for females and 74 hectares for males. Although they live in close proximity to water, reedbucks rarely enter it. The main vocalizations are a shrill whistle and a clicking noise, while scent trails through the tall grass are thought to be the main identifiers of the whereabouts of individuals.Family group: Solitary, in pairs, in loose herds, rarely up to 20 animals, in the dry season.
Diet: Grasses, reed shoots.
Main Predators: Lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, Cape hunting dog, python, crocodile.
Distribution
Valley and upland grasslands with tall grasses and reeds near water in southern central Africa.
Range Map (Redrawn from IEA, 1998)
Conservation Status
The southern reedbuck is classified as a low risk, conservation dependent species by the IUCN (1996).
Remarks
Reduncas (Latin) bent backwards, curved: while the horns are bent forwards, they do start at an angle backwards from the head. Arundo (harundo) (Latin) a reed: hence arundinum, pertaining to reeds.
Literature Cited
IEA (Institute of Applied Ecology). 1998. Redunca arundinum. In African Mammals Databank - A Databank for the Conservation and Management of the African Mammals Vol 1 and 2. Bruxelles: European Commission Directorate. Available online at http://gorilla.bio.uniroma1.it/amd/amd216b.htmlKingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. Academic Press, London and New York: NaturalWorld.
Nowak, R. M. [editor]. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World (Fifth Edition). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Walther, F. R. 1990. Reedbucks, waterbucks,.and impalas. In Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. Edited by S. P. Parker. New York: McGraw-Hill. Volume 5, pp. 448-461.
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder [editors]. 1993. Mammal Species of the World (Second Edition). Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press. Available online at http://nmnhwww.si.edu/msw/
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