You’ve probably seen the Waterbuck somewhere without even knowing what it actually is – either on television, in pictures and textbooks or in other media.
The Waterbuck is a large type of antelope that belongs to the family of Bovidae – sharing similar lineage as the Wildebeest, Sheep, Goats and other domestic Cattles.
They are ubiquitously found naturally in Sub-Saharan Africa where they graze the lands in search of food and water.
Not to be confused with their namesake, the Waterbuck is not an aquatic animal by any means. They are however, intolerant of dehydration in hot weather where they naturally live. Therefore, they tend to inhabit areas where sources of water can be found. Check below for another interesting facts about Waterbuck.
Sexually dimorphic
This means that the males and females have external differences other than their reproductive organs. Males are larger than females, have brown or grey fur and, most notably, long horns that spiral backwards and forwards!
Vegetarian
Yes, the Waterbuck favors eating grass as its primary supplement. In fact, grass accounts for up to 95%of their diet.
Hidden calves
As a survival mechanism, the Waterbuck keeps their newborn calves well-hidden for up to two months.
Visual communicator
Waterbucks are, for the most part, silent creatures. They communicate visually through a process called the flehmen response, where they curl back their upper lip to show their front teeth while inhaling with closed nostrils.
We hope you learned a few things about the Waterbuck from this article! They contribute greatly to the food chain in their natural habitat in Africa. You can see the Waterbucks in Bali Safari when you join us in the Safari Journey! See if you can spot them! Make sure to take the window seats to have a better view of these unique animal!
