Kobus kafuensis
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Bovidae
Kobus
Kobus kafuensis

description: 123.
Katue Flats Lechwe
Kobus kafuensis
French: Cobe de Kafue / German: Kafue-Litschi / Spanish: Kob del Kafue
Other common names: Kafue Lechwe
Taxonomy. Kobus leche kafuensis Haltenorth, 1963,
Am unteren Kafue im sl Nordrhodesien (Kafue Flats, Zambia).
The Kafue Flats Lechwe closely resembles the Red Lechwe (K. leche), of which it was formerly considered a subspecies. Monotypic.
Distribution. Restricted to the Kafue Flats floodplain of the Kafue River, S Zambia.
Descriptive notes. Head-body c¢. 160 cm, tail 35 cm, shoulder height 99-112 cm (males) and 90-106 cm (females); weight 103 kg (87-128 kg) for males and 79 kg (62-97 kg) for females. Males are larger than females and are readily identified by the presence of horns. Body condition is lowest at high flood, when this species is forced into more marginal habitats. The general form is very similar to that of the Red Lechwe. The hindlegs are especially powerful and the rump is 10-12 cm above the level of the shoulders. Both sexes are a bright reddish-brown. The belly, inside surfaces of the legs, and a stripe that extends along the throat from the chest to the underside of thejaw are all white. There is a sharp line of demarcation between the red and white pelage along the throat stripe and where the two colors meet low on the flanks. Clear white circles are present around the eyes, lips, and chin. The front surfaces of the forelegs are rich black in color, as are the fronts of the lower hindlegs. In male Kafue Flats Lechwe, the foreleg markings extend upward, forming a dark patch on the shoulders and extending along the lower margins of the white throat stripe. These markings are a principal diagnostic difference from male Red Lechwe; females of the two species are nearly indistinguishable. The horns of male Kafue Flats Lechwe are, on average, longer than any other lechwe species: mean length is 71 cm (range 62-83 cm) and maximum recorded length is 92 cm. Tip-to-tip distance is 48-76 cm. The horns sweep backward from the forehead and curve upward, diverging from base to tips. Prominent transverse ridges are present for most of the horn length; these begin 20-25 cm from the tip and become compressed toward the base. Dental formulais 10/3, C0/1, P3/3,M 3/3 (x2) = 32.
Habitat. Open grasslands and floodplains associated with lakes, floodwaters, and streams. Kafue Flats Lechwes are rarely seen more than 3 km away from surface water; inundated territory provides preferred food resources and security against predators. Seasonal movements are undertaken to follow the floodline. Dense brush is avoided. Although restricted in distribution, the habitat can support localized population densities exceeding 1000 ind/km?.
Food and Feeding. Predominantly a grazer. Grass leaves are preferred over grass stems, although at the end of the dry season stems make up the largest proportion of the diet as a result of availability. Important dietary grass species include Vossia cuspidata, Echinochloa stagnina, E. holubii, and E. pyramidalis, and Brachiaria rugulosa, B. latifolia. Small amounts of Panicum repens, Leersia denudata, Setaria anceps, and S. sphacelata have also been recorded in the diet. Sedges may be consumed in inundated grasslands. Dicotyledonous plants, such as Aeschynomene fluitans and Sida alba, are consumed in limited quantities; these are most important in the diet at the beginning of the rainy season. The species selected likely depends on both availability and growth stage. Kafue Flats Lechwe may feed in nearly shoulder-deep water, although most grazing occurs on dryland or in shallow flooded regions.
Breeding. Reproduction shows strong seasonal trends, although some mating occurs year-round. Breeding coincides with rising water levels. Traditionally (prior to the construction of hydroelectric dams), male breeding ground (lek) use and testis weight were highest between November and March. With dams now controlling the flood cycles of the Kafue River, the breeding season has shifted; the number of females on leks currently peaks during May-July as water levels rise. Most mating activity occurs on leks, in which numerous males defend very small territories. Breeding activity in large herdsis largely unsuccessful due to high levels of harassment by numerous males and frequent interruptions of mating. Estrous females arrive on leks in small parties and tend to congregate in groups of 10-20 on a few popular territories; such female preference is based on olfactory cues (particularly the concentrated urine of previous estrous females). Mate selection is indirect; males compete among each other for occupancy of preferred territories. While on the lek, females move across territorial boundaries freely and frequently (approximately once every ten minutes); a male may circle a departing female to encourage her to stay on his patch of land, but they do not make contact. Estrus lasts for approximately 24 hours. The gestation period has not been measured, but based on peak breeding and birthing times it is estimated at eight months. The traditional calving season (two-thirds of births) occurred from July to September/October, when flooding receded, exposing high-quality forage; with flood control, births now peak in January-February. At birth, the single young weighs approximately 5 kg. Females reach sexual maturity at 1-5-2 years and are fully grown at 3—4 years. Males begin to show signs of sexual development around 15 months; horn growth begins at 5-6 months and mature horn length is reached at 3-4 years, but males are not considered fully mature until 4-5 years. Life span in the wild is approximately ten years; longevity in captivity may exceed 24 years.
Activity patterns. The diurnal activity budget is predominated by feeding (50%) and resting (35%), with the remaining 15% split between standing and moving. This species tends to move closer to water at night. Nocturnal activity patterns are unknown.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kafue Flats Lechwes live in large herds with an unstable social structure. Females are highly social and stay together in tight groups, although there do not appear to be strong associations between individuals. Large aggregations of both sexes are regularly recorded during the height of the floods and may exceed 5000 individuals. Males may also be found in single-sex bachelor herds of 50-3000 individuals. As water levels recede, pre-parturient females disperse in small groups up to 20. Males remain in large herds. They become territorial when the floodwaters begin to rise, and may either defend a stand-alone territory 100-200 m in diameter or congregate on a lek. Unlike the Uganda Kob (K. thomasi), lek use in the Kafue Flats Lechwe is strictly during the principal breeding season. Leks tend to be located on raised areas above the waterline; each lek territory is only 5~ 10 m in diameter, and the entire lek is confined to an area of 0-01-0-2 km”. Interactions between neighboring lek males are very frequent but largely symbolic: short chases and prancing displays (with the head held high and tail wagging) are more common than physical contact. A series of staccato grunts is used to advertise territorial ownership. However, when competing for territories, Kafue Flats Lechwe males fight vigorously, locking horns and attempting to throw each other off-balance. Such fights show few ritualistic precursors. The displacement of one male from a territory often leads to a chain reaction in adjacent territories, creating a highly charged atmosphere on the lek.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II (included under the umbrella taxon K. leche). Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List (as K. leche kafuensis). The Kafue Flats Lechwe population has undergone significant declines in the past century. In 1931, 250,000 Lechwes were estimated in the Kafue Flats region; by 1970, this had dropped to approximately 94,000. Competition with domestic cattle at the floodplain peripheries and poaching are thought to have been responsible for these declines. Traditional hunting occurred in regions preferred by females, resulting in a population skew toward males and a lowered reproductive potential. The damming of the Kafue River both upstream and downstream from the Kafue Flats has significantly impacted the natural flooding patterns and reduced the available habitat for this species; the completion of the dams, particularly the upstream Itezhi-Tezhi Dam, was followed by a population decline of nearly 50%. The current population is approximately 40,000 individuals; most are found in Blue Lagoon National Park (on the northern bank of the Kafue River) and Lochinvar National Park (on the southern bank).
Bibliography. Chansa & Kampamba (2009), Deutsch & Nefdt (1992), Estes (1991b), IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2008ac), Nefdt (1995, 1996), Rees (1978), Robinette & Child (1964), Sayer & van Levieren (1975), Schuster (1976).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, pp. 444-779 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 628, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6512484