Lechwe
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| Lechwe | ||||||||||||||
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 Red Lechwe
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| Kobus leche Gray, 1850 |
The Lechwe, or Southern Lechwe, (Kobus leche) is an antelope found in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the Kafue Flats, the Bangweulu Swamps of Zambia, and the very southeast of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Lechwe stand 90 to 100 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh from 70 to 120 kilograms. They are golden brown with a white underbelly and black legs. Males are darker in colour. 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.
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 repelling substance allowing 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. The herds on the Bangweulu swamps ("Black Lechwe") are noticeably darker than those found elsewhere ("Red Lechwe").
[edit] References
- Antelope Specialist Group (1996). Kobus leche. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006.
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[edit] External links
 A flying male |
 A female taking off. Other antelopes and a pair of Saddle-billed storks can be seen in the background |
 A male and his reflection in Okavango Delta |
 A group of females |
 Red Lechwe in a lagoon in the Okavango. |
 A mixed group |
 Another group at dawn |
 A fast running group of Lechwe. Note the longer hind legs |
 Red lechwe, including a white specimen, at the Knowsley Safari Park |
 The skull of a black lechwe found at Bangweulu swamps, Zambia |
 A small portion of a herd of Black lechwe at Bangweulu swamps, Zambia |
