Waterbuck

• Its skin gives off an oily, musky secretion that protects it from water and parasites.
• The white ring around its rump helps calves follow their mother.
• It rarely strays more than 2 km from water.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat & environment

Savannah and woodland near rivers and lakes across much of sub-Saharan Africa, rarely straying more than 2 km from water

Birth weight

9 kg

Size at birth

Precocial, hidden in dense scrub for 2-4 weeks after birth

Sexual maturity

Female: 12-14 months | Male: 14-18 months (though he gets no access to females until 6 years, through territorial competition)

Gestation / incubation

240-264 days (~8-9 months)

Litter / clutch size

1 young per birth (twins rare)

Lifespan in captivity

Documented record of up to 30 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; Ultimate Ungulate; Safari West; Fascinating Africa; A-Z Animals; The Animal Facts; Animal Kingdom

Best time: All year round in the African savannah, always near water, by day; it is easy to see on the banks of rivers and lakes.