The lechwe is native to Botswana, Zambia, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northeastern Namibia, and eastern Angola, especially in the Okavango Delta, Kafue Flats, and Bangweulu Wetlands. The species is fairly common in zoos and wild animal farms.
Descriptionedit
Adult lechwe typically stand 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in) at the shoulder and generally weigh from 50 to 120 kg (110 to 260 lb), with males being larger than females. They are golden brown with white bellies. Males are darker in colour, but exact hue and amount of blackish on the front legs, chest and body varies depending on subspecies. The long, spiral horns are vaguely lyre-shaped and borne only by males. The hind legs are somewhat longer in proportion than in other antelopes to ease long-distance running on marshy soil.
Lechwe are found in marshy areas where they are an important herbivore of aquatic plants.[3] They use the knee-deep water as protection from predators. Their legs are covered in a water-repellant substance which allows them to run quite fast in knee-deep water. Lechwe are diurnal. They gather in herds which can include many thousands of individuals.[4] Herds are usually all of one sex, but during mating season they mix.[5]
Taxonomyedit
Subspeciesedit
Kafue lechwes (K. l. kafuensis) where the male has more black to the front legs and chest than the red and Upemba lechwes, but less than the black lechwe that also has some blackish to the side of the body
Four subspecies of the lechwe have been recognized.[6][7]
Common red lechwe (Kobus leche leche) (Gray, 1850) - Widely distributed in the wetlands of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia.
† Roberts' lechwe (Kobus leche robertsi) (Rothschild, 1907) - Formerly found in northeastern Zambia, now extinct. Also called the Kawambwa lechwe.
Black lechwe (Kobus leche smithemani) (Lydekker, 1900) - Found in the Bangweulu region of Zambia.
In addition, the Upemba lechwe (Kobus anselli) and the extinct Cape lechwe (Kobus venterae) are also considered subspecies by some authorities (as Kobus leche anselli and Kobus leche venterae).[8][9]
Although related and sharing the name "lechwe", the Nile lechwe (K. megaceros) is consistently recognized as a separate species.[7]
Reproductionedit
Lechwe mate during rain seasons of November to February. They have a gestation period of seven to eight months so a majority of calves are born from July to September. [10] Although rare, hybrids between lechwe and waterbuck have been observed.[11]
Referencesedit
^IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2017). "Kobus leche". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T11033A50189021. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T11033A50189021.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Franceschini, M. Celeste; Murphy, Kevin J.; Moore, Isabel; Kennedy, Michael P.; Martínez, Fedra S.; Willems, Frank; De Wysiecki, M. Laura; Sichingabula, Henry (29 July 2020). "Impacts on freshwater macrophytes produced by small invertebrate herbivores: Afrotropical and Neotropical wetlands compared". Hydrobiologia. 847 (17): 3931–3950. doi:10.1007/s10750-020-04360-5. S2CID 220843360.
^Nefdt, Rory J. C.; Thirgood, Simon J. (1997). "Lekking, resource defense, and harassment in two subspecies of lechwe antelope". Behavioral Ecology. 8: 1–9. doi:10.1093/beheco/8.1.1.
^Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 720. ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^ abGroves, C.; Grubb, P. (2011). Ungulate Taxonomy. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 190–1. ISBN978-1-4214-0093-8.
^IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2017). "Kobus leche ssp. anselli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T136937A50198198. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T136937A50198198.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Brain, C. K. (1983). The Hunters Or the Hunted?: An Introduction to African Cave Taphonomy. American Bar Foundation. p. 173.
^"Antelope hybrid in the wilds of northern Botswana". Africa Geographic. 19 May 2016. from the original on 7 August 2020.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kobus leche.
ARKive -
December 15, 2023
lechwe, lechwe, lechwe, southern, lechwe, kobus, leche, antelope, found, wetlands, south, central, africa, male, lechenkasa, rupara, national, park, namibiaconservation, statusnear, threatened, iucn, cites, appendix, cites, scientific, classificationdomain, eu. The lechwe red lechwe or southern lechwe Kobus leche is an antelope found in wetlands of south central Africa Lechwemale K l lecheNkasa Rupara National Park NamibiaConservation statusNear Threatened IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix II CITES 2 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ArtiodactylaFamily BovidaeGenus KobusSpecies K lecheBinomial nameKobus lecheGray 1850SubspeciesKobus leche leche Kobus leche kafuensis Kobus leche robertsi Kobus leche smithemaniDistribution range of lechweSynonymsOnotragus leche Contents 1 Range 2 Description 3 Habitats 4 Taxonomy 4 1 Subspecies 5 Reproduction 6 References 7 External linksRange editThe lechwe is native to Botswana Zambia southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo northeastern Namibia and eastern Angola especially in the Okavango Delta Kafue Flats and Bangweulu Wetlands The species is fairly common in zoos and wild animal farms Description editAdult lechwe typically stand 90 to 100 cm 35 to 39 in at the shoulder and generally weigh from 50 to 120 kg 110 to 260 lb with males being larger than females They are golden brown with white bellies Males are darker in colour but exact hue and amount of blackish on the front legs chest and body varies depending on subspecies The long spiral horns are vaguely lyre shaped and borne only by males The hind legs are somewhat longer in proportion than in other antelopes to ease long distance running on marshy soil nbsp Adult red lechwes in the Okavango Delta Botswana nbsp Female red lechwe Okavango Delta nbsp Juvenile red lechwe Okavango Delta nbsp Male red lechwes fighting Okavango DeltaHabitats editLechwe are found in marshy areas where they are an important herbivore of aquatic plants 3 They use the knee deep water as protection from predators Their legs are covered in a water repellant substance which allows them to run quite fast in knee deep water Lechwe are diurnal They gather in herds which can include many thousands of individuals 4 Herds are usually all of one sex but during mating season they mix 5 Taxonomy editSubspecies edit nbsp Kafue lechwes K l kafuensis where the male has more black to the front legs and chest than the red and Upemba lechwes but less than the black lechwe that also has some blackish to the side of the bodyFour subspecies of the lechwe have been recognized 6 7 Common red lechwe Kobus leche leche Gray 1850 Widely distributed in the wetlands of Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia and Zambia Kafue Flats lechwe Kobus leche kafuensis Haltenorth 1963 It is confined within the Kafue Flats seasonally inundated flood plain on the Kafue River Zambia Roberts lechwe Kobus leche robertsi Rothschild 1907 Formerly found in northeastern Zambia now extinct Also called the Kawambwa lechwe Black lechwe Kobus leche smithemani Lydekker 1900 Found in the Bangweulu region of Zambia In addition the Upemba lechwe Kobus anselli and the extinct Cape lechwe Kobus venterae are also considered subspecies by some authorities as Kobus leche anselli and Kobus leche venterae 8 9 Although related and sharing the name lechwe the Nile lechwe K megaceros is consistently recognized as a separate species 7 Reproduction editLechwe mate during rain seasons of November to February They have a gestation period of seven to eight months so a majority of calves are born from July to September 10 Although rare hybrids between lechwe and waterbuck have been observed 11 References edit IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2017 Kobus leche IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T11033A50189021 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 2 RLTS T11033A50189021 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 Franceschini M Celeste Murphy Kevin J Moore Isabel Kennedy Michael P Martinez Fedra S Willems Frank De Wysiecki M Laura Sichingabula Henry 29 July 2020 Impacts on freshwater macrophytes produced by small invertebrate herbivores Afrotropical and Neotropical wetlands compared Hydrobiologia 847 17 3931 3950 doi 10 1007 s10750 020 04360 5 S2CID 220843360 Windhoek UrbanCamp net Camping Leisure Lechwe urbancamp net Retrieved 2020 05 30 Nefdt Rory J C Thirgood Simon J 1997 Lekking resource defense and harassment in two subspecies of lechwe antelope Behavioral Ecology 8 1 9 doi 10 1093 beheco 8 1 1 Wilson D E Reeder D M eds 2005 Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed Johns Hopkins University Press p 720 ISBN 978 0 8018 8221 0 OCLC 62265494 a b Groves C Grubb P 2011 Ungulate Taxonomy Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press pp 190 1 ISBN 978 1 4214 0093 8 IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2017 Kobus leche ssp anselli IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T136937A50198198 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 2 RLTS T136937A50198198 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Brain C K 1983 The Hunters Or the Hunted An Introduction to African Cave Taphonomy American Bar Foundation p 173 Newell T 1999 Kobus leche On line Animal Diversity Web Accessed March 06 2020 at https animaldiversity org accounts Kobus leche Antelope hybrid in the wilds of northern Botswana Africa Geographic 19 May 2016 Archived from the original on 7 August 2020 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kobus leche ARKive images and movies of the black lechwe Kobus leche smithemani Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lechwe amp oldid 1186491224, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
