Kudu facts for kids

A Greater Kudu bull

Kudu are amazing antelopes that live in Africa. There are two main types: the Lesser Kudu and the Greater Kudu. Lesser Kudus are found in East Africa, like Kenya and Tanzania. Greater Kudus live in both East and Southern Africa.

Appearance

A Greater Kudu

Kudus have a cool brown-grey color. They also have white stripes along their bodies. These stripes help them blend into their surroundings. They are very fast and quiet movers. Because of this, some people call them the "Grey Ghost."

Male Kudus have impressive, tall, spiraling horns. These horns can grow very long! Female Kudus usually do not have horns. Young Kudus, called calves, are often a lighter brown than adult Kudus. Greater Kudus are generally a bit more slender than Lesser Kudus.

Grouping and Behavior

A young male Greater Kudu

Male Kudus often live alone. They might also live in small groups with other males. These groups are called bachelor groups. Male Kudus usually do not fight much over who is in charge. Instead, they try to look bigger to scare off rivals. They might stand sideways to appear larger.

Males only join female groups during the breeding season. These groups usually have 6 to 10 females and their young. Baby Kudus grow up very quickly. They are often ready to leave their mothers around six months old.

When a mother Kudu is about to give birth, she usually leaves her group. She will hide her newborn calf for about 4 to 5 weeks. After this, the calf starts to meet its mother for short times. By 3 to 4 months old, the calf stays with its mother all the time. At six months, the calf is old enough to join the main group as a young adult.

Diet

Kudus are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. They enjoy eating fresh plant shoots. During the dry season, when food is scarce, they eat fruits. For example, they might eat wild watermelons. These fruits give them water and natural sugars. Lesser Kudus can go longer without water than Greater Kudus.

Images for kids

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  A large male Greater Kudu

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  A female Greater Kudu

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  A Greater Kudu male with females

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  A Kudu running away in Etosha National Park in Namibia

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  A Kudu horn, used by Yemenite Jews as a shofar for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.