Both species have whitish or creamy vertical stripes on the upper parts. There is a short mane on the nape and longer hairs on the throat. Taurotragus is characterized by oxlike massiveness, rounded hooves, a hump on the withers, a dewlap between the throat and chest, and heavy spiral horns that are carried by both sexes. The horns of T. derbianus are longer and more massive, the record length being about 1,200 mm. The preferred habitat of Taurotragus is plains or moderately rolling country with brush and scattered trees.
Elands are alert, keen of sense, and thus difficult to approach.
Despite their size, elands are good jumpers and can take a 1.5-meter fence with ease. They prefer to lie in some shelter during the heat of the day. In the morning and evening they seek more open areas, where they browse upon leaves and succulent fruits. The home ranges of T. oryx vary considerably by sex and season. In contrast, females and young had a dry season range of 26.1 sq km in brush country and then made extensive movements into open grassland during the wet season, so that their year-round range averaged 222.0 sq km.