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Kudu Facts & Worksheets

A Kudu is any of the two species of spiral-horned Bovidae: the lesser kudu of eastern Africa and the greater kudu of eastern and southern Africa

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A large graying brown antelope, a kudu is any of the two species of spiral-horned Bovidae: the lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis) of eastern Africa and the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) of eastern and southern Africa.

See the fact file below for more information on the kudu or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Kudu worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Etymology

  • The term “kudu” was translated into English in the 18th century, derived from isiXhosa iqhude, via Afrikaans koedoe.
  • The name of the animal is also the Khoikhoi and seTswana word for an antelope. The Greek tragos means a he-goat and elaphos, a deer. Strepho, on the other hand, denotes “I twist” and strephis is “twisting.”
  • The Greek word keras refers to the kudu’s horn.

Greater Kudu

  • Originally housing four, the greater kudu has three recognized subspecies according to their color, the number of stripes, and horn length. These are (1) T. s. strepsiceros in southern parts of the range from southern Kenya to Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, (2) T. s. chora in northeastern Africa from northern Kenya through Ethiopia to eastern Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea, and (3) T. s. cottoni in Chad and western Sudan.
  • A woodland antelope of eastern and southern Africa, the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) has a narrow body with long, slender legs. Its coat varies in color, from brown or bluish-grey to reddish-brown, with four to 12 vertical white stripes running down its torso. Its head seems to be darker than the rest of its body, displaying a small white chevron that extends between the eyes. 
  • Bulls are relatively larger than cows. They tend to vocalize more, producing low grunts, clucks, hums, and gasps. Male kudus also grow beards across their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, reaching approximately 120 cm in length. 
  • Horns split slightly as they slant from behind the back. They do not start to protrude until the male kudu is between six months to a year old. At the age of two, the horns shape the first wave of spiral rotation. The full two and a half rotations are achieved when the bull reaches the age of six. There are also instances when horns may have three full turns.
  • The greater kudu is among the largest species of antelope, with bulls weighing between 190 to 270 kg and standing at 160 cm at the shoulder. Cows, on the other hand, weigh 120 to 210 kg and stand as little as 100 cm. They also lack horns, beards, and nose markings.
  • It occasionally wanders in plains only if there is a surplus of bushes; however, it usually stays away from open areas to hide from predators.
  • Its diet is composed of leaves, grass, shoots, and sometimes tubers, roots, and fruit, particularly oranges and tangerines. 
  • The greater kudu seeks cover under woodland during daytime, especially in hot weather. It feeds and drinks in the early morning and late afternoon from water holes or roots and bulbs with high water content.
  • It is preyed upon by lions, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs. Cheetahs and leopards are predators of cows and calves, instead of adult bulls. 
  • When a group is threatened by predators, a fully grown cow will alert its members by producing a bark.
  • Although it displays a strategic behavior in rocky hillsides and mountains, the greater kudu is not fast enough to evade its predators in open terrains, so it depends on leaping over shrubs and small trees. Its great hearing and acute eyesight also helps in avoiding approaching predators. 
  • Despite being evaluated as low risk by the IUCN, the greater kudu’s population in its range has declined because of too much hunting and rapid habitat loss.

Lesser Kudu

  • A forest antelope in East Africa, the lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis) was first described by English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1869. Its generic name, Tragelaphus, originated from the Greek word tragos, meaning a male goat, and elaphos, a deer, while its specific name, imberbis, is Latin, denoting the kudu’s lack of mane.
  • The lesser kudu has a head-and-body length of approximately between 110 and 140 cm. Males stand at least 95 to 105 cm at the shoulder, while females reach 90 to 100 cm.
  • It has a bushy tail, which is white underneath tipped with black, extending 25 to 40 cm long.
  • Females and juveniles have a rufous coat, described as reddish-brown or brownish-red, while males have a yellowish grey or darker coat as they reach the age of two. They also have a visible black crest of hair on the neck. A long white stripe extends down its back, with 11 to 14 white stripes branching towards the sides. The chest displays a central black stripe without any throat beard.
  • Males grow spiral horns that are 50 to 70 cm long, with two to two and a half twists, and are tipped with white.
  • It also has similar tracks to the greater kudu.
  • It is active at night and during dawn, looking for shelter in dense thickets after sunrise. It can camouflage well in dense vegetation, such that only its ears and tail can indicate its presence. During midday, it spends its time resting and ruminating in shaded areas.
  • As a pure browser, the lesser kudu eats foliage from bushes, trees, and herbs. It may also feed on flowers and fruits, and even small portions of grass, particularly in the wet season.
  • It does thrive without much water and can browse in arid environments, feeding on succulent plants such as wild sisal, Sansevieria, and Euphorbia species.
  • Its population also has a decreasing trend over the last two decades, thus, classifying them as near threatened species. Overgrazing, human settlement, and loss of habitat are among the causes for their decline in numbers.

Uses

  • Kudu meat resembles venison, or that of a deer, with a hint of gamey, liver-like flavor. It is very dry and lean meat, so it requires careful cooking.
  • A kudu horn is a musical instrument made from its spiral-shaped horns. It is sometimes used as a shofar in Jewish ceremonies and is mostly seen in the Western world as a part of the Scouting movement’s Wood Badge training activities or courses.
  • Pellets of dung are spit by contestants in kudu dung-spitting, a popular sport among the Afrikaner community in South Africa.

Kudu Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the kudu across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Kudu which are a large graying brown antelope, it is any of the two species of spiral-horned Bovidae: the lesser kudu of eastern Africa and the greater kudu of eastern and southern Africa.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Kudu Facts
  • Know Your Kudu
  • The Little Ones
  • What Makes It Greater?
  • Fill in the Puzzle
  • Kudu FAQs
  • Life Stages
  • Cooking Kudu
  • Other Curly Horns
  • Hear Me Out
  • Human Interaction

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Link will appear as Kudu Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 11, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.