Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae
Puku
Kobus vardonii
Near Threatened
It could become threatened in the near future if current threats go unchecked.
The puku is a medium-sized antelope with a golden coat, closely tied to water: it lives on the floodplains and river margins of Zambia, Tanzania and neighbouring countries. The males have ringed, lyre-shaped horns and defend territories on the best grazing during the rut. It eats the tender grasses of the riverbanks and never strays far from a watercourse. The conversion of wetlands to farmland and poaching have reduced its range to a fraction of the original.
Weight
48 kg – 90 kg
Size
1.3 m – 1.7 m
Life expectancy
17 years
