Kudos to Kudus!

There are some youngsters among the lesser kudu herd at the San Diego Zoo, and I recently happened by while they were in full frolic! The newest addition, with umbilical cord still attached, was taking off in joyful bursts of energy, clearly having fun with the other calves, then returning to mom for nourishment. It reminded me of Rudolph the Reindeer dancing around saying, "I'm cude, I'm cuuude!" Cute for sure!


Lesser kudus are considered by some to be one of the most beautiful of the antelope, their white body stripes contrasting with the reddish-brown coat of females and calves and the gray of adult males. Only the males have a short mane and the impressive spiraled horns, which don't fully develop until about 3 years of age, growing up to 2-3 feet long. The stripes provide excellent camouflage in the dense bush and forests of Eastern Africa where they live. They also have large ears and a well developed sense of hearing that warns them of potential predators. Lesser kudus are also amazing jumpers, reaching heights of up to 6 ½ feet.


The "lesser" is not an affront to their worth, but denotes the smaller size and lack of a fringe under the throat when compared to the greater kudu.


These are a few of my photos of this beautiful lesser kudu herd.