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A male greater kudu with long spiral horns and thin white stripes walking on red earth.
Photo: L0k1m0nk33 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

A large striped antelope of African woodlands whose males grow long, spiral horns with about two and a half twists.

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About the Greater Kudu

Greater kudu live in woodlands and hilly areas of eastern, central and southern Africa. Their brownish gray coats have thin white stripes that help them hide among trees. Only the males grow the famous spiral horns, which can make two and a half twists. Females live in small groups of six to ten with their young, while males usually live alone.[1][2]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Tragelaphus strepsiceros[1]
Size
40 to 60 inches (100 to 150 cm) tall at the shoulder. Females are noticeably smaller than males.[1]
Weight
260 to 700 pounds (120 to 315 kg).[1]
Lifespan
Up to 10 years in the wild. Up to 23 years in captivity.[1]
Diet
Herbivore. A browser that eats leaves and shoots from many kinds of plants.[1]
Habitat
Woodlands, bushlands, dense brush and hilly areas.[1][2]
Where it lives
Eastern, central and southern Africa.[2]
Group life
Females form small groups of six to ten with their young. Males are usually solitary.[1]
Babies
Pregnancy lasts up to 9 months.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[3]

Fun facts

  • A male's spiral horns can grow as long as 6 feet (1.8 m), making about two and a half twists.[1]
  • Greater kudu have the loudest alarm bark of any African antelope.[2]
  • Kudu have a white chevron (V-shaped mark) between their eyes and a crest of long hair along the spine.[1]
  • Leopards, African wild dogs and spotted hyenas all hunt kudu.[1]

Vocabulary

antelope
A fast, deer-like mammal with hooves and horns, found mostly in Africa and Asia.
browser
An animal that eats leaves, twigs and shoots from bushes and trees.
spiral
A shape that winds around and around, like a corkscrew.
chevron
A V-shaped mark or pattern.
predator
An animal that hunts other animals for food.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] African Wildlife Foundation. “Greater kudu vs. lesser kudu.” https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/kudu (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Spiral-horned Antelope.” https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/spiral-horned-antelope (accessed 2026-10-02)
  3. [3] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Tragelaphus strepsiceros (Greater Kudu).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22054/166487759 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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