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Mammal. The world's largest antelope, elands have a somewhat different social structure. Dominant males are solitary and assess each other's strength by locking horns, trying to throw the opponent to the ground. The strongest males make a loud clicking sound as they walk that can be heard by rivals more than a mile away. Younger males live in groups of three or four, while females gather in larger groups that vary from day to day. Females tend to move around more than males. Adults weigh 590 to 680 kg (1300 to 1500 lbs). A female's horns grow to 63 cm (25 in), while a male's horns grow twice as long. |
| Scientific
Name |
Lifespan |
| Taurotragus oryx |
15 to 20 year |
| Diet |
| Herbivore. They are browsers, preferring leaves from bushes, twigs, certain fruits, bulbs, and roots rather than grass. |
| Predators and Threats |
| Humans are their biggest threat. Lions and hyenas attack calves. |
| Habitat |
| Plains dwellers of East, Central, and Southern Africa. They stay away from forests, swamps and deserts. |
