Puku


The puku is a medium-sized antelope found in wet grasslands in southern Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia. Nearly one-third of all puku are found in protected areas, zoos, and national parks due to their diminishing habitat.

Description

Puku stand about at the shoulder and weigh from. The puku is sandy brown in colour, with the underbelly a slightly lighter brown. The coat is rougher than the similar-sized southern reedbuck, lechwe or impala, or the smaller oribi. Males have 50-cm-long, ridge-structured horns which are very vaguely lyre-shaped.

Subspecies

There are two subspecies, the Senga Puku and the southern puku.

Ecology

Puku are found almost exclusively in marshy grassland and dambos of the Kilombero Valley of Tanzania, where they eat grasses. The Puku diet is flexible in regards to type of grasses consumed, there is also little dietary competition with other bovids. Crepuscular, active in the early morning and late afternoon. When scared, puku repeat a shrill whistle sound. Females gather in herds of up to 20 individuals. During the rainy season, many herds will come together for added safety, typically reaching around 50 females. Males hold territories and attempt to persuade herds of females to stay within their territories for as long as possible. In the wet season, due to large floods in their habitat they migrate to a high elevation and in dry seasons remain near water.