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Okavanga — Male Waterbuck
#antelope #tanzania #wildanimal #watrebuck
Published: 2015-12-29 17:46:48 +0000 UTC; Views: 938; Favourites: 38; Downloads: 3
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Description
Kobus ellipsiprymnusHigh Plains DriftersEveryone who goes on safari or game viewing drives in Africa wants to see the Big Five: lion, elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo,and leopard. Magnificent as those animals are, experienced game viewers are also on the lookout for the less dramatic but nevertheless equally interesting High Plains Drifters - the antelopes. Part of the ungulate family, antelopes come in all sizes with different species in different regions of the continent. They are browsers and grazers, sometimes roaming far and wide across the plains of the Serengeti, sometimes establishing semi-permanent territories in which mating and rearing of young takes place, sometimes following the herds of wildebeest - one of the most prevalent of the large antelopes. This Feature looks at some of the species I photographed in Tarangire and the Serengeti during my recent Tanzanian safari.
One species that I had never encountered before was the the topi (Damaliscus lu
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Comments: 19
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I thought this fellow was very impressive, Katey.
Many Thanks
David
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Stunning capture - magnificent horns - magestic antelope
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Absolute stunner of an animal, Pamela. South African waterbuck are different - a bit smaller and fatter.
Many Thanks
David
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Impressive capture, David! He looks like he is sizing you up and with those horns, um...run!!
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Good point, Sheri - but unless there was an obvious threat these guys wouldn't do anything to humans.....I hope!
Cheers
David
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Now this is a handsome devil!! 
A prize shot! 
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Many thanks, Linda. Yes, I was running out of space to say much about this fella. There are two main species (or sub-species) of the waterbuck . This one, the Defassa, is found in Tanzania, and the other main type, called the Ellipsen, is found in southern Africa. They have evolved to cope with water and damp ground more easily than other antelope - they do not get bogged down, so to speak. Waterbuck have very distinctive white markings on their rumps, under their tails. The Defassa has a white area shaped like a toilet seat, while the Ellispsen has a ring. The white patches are thought to be markers for other waterbuck to follow in poor light. But, these Defassa are part of the heavyweight brigade of antelopes, and this is a superb male.
Cheers
David
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Nature is so amazing! How things "evolve" to help the animal cope with his living surroundings!
Humm....That's food for thought; about the white patches being markers in poor lighting....Or if they weren't meant for that reason it sure would help....But from what I see, seems most everything about an animal is, for one reason or another in nature, a means for it's survival.
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Greetings from Windsor and a Happy New Year, Linda. Yes, survival is the key. So, for a herd animal knowing where the others are is a survival benefit. Seeing is better than hearing. Thus, a white patch confers a survival advantage.
David
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Humm....I had to think about that one for a bit..."Seeing is better than hearing".
I think, when it comes to the bush David, one is equally as important as the other. With some of the excellent camouflage especially, prey must have their ears perked!
Wishing you as well, a wonderful New Year, David. May it be Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous! 
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Yes, good point, Linda. The general point is that all animals need to have all senses working effectively at all times for the best chances of survival. At some times and some circumstances one sense may be more efficient than the others. The three main senses used are vision, hearing and smell/taste.
Here is a curious point about behaviour. What do you think happens when, say, some zebras spot a lion or a pride of lions? We might think that the zeebees would "run a mile" - that might well be our response. In fact, most of the time they don't behave that way. Instead, they start to give out a warning call - snickering, and then stand watching the place where they see the lions. After a few minutes all the zebra and antelope in the area are watching, so that if you happen to chance by you can work out where the lions are. This seems to be the best survival strategy - know where the enemy lies and watch what it does. This behaviour alerts others to the danger and pinpoints where it lies.
Cheers
David
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Ahahahaha that is wild/terrific!! 
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