Info about South Africa
Black Lechwe - A Peculiar Water Antelope from Southern Africa
Black lechwe comes from the subspecies of lechwe. Infact, it is one out of three surviving water antelopes found in the southern Africa. Lechwe is gifted with a natural mechanism to prevent itself from sinking into the marshes with the help of its elongated hooves and long body with high hindquarters. Male lechwes have thin, ridged horns which are lyre-shaped. Each subspecies of lechwe family has a different coloured greasy skin coat. Range Lechwe are found in southern Africa, mostly in Zambia. Bulk of them breed around Lake Bangweulu.
Habitat Mostly found in flood plains, amidst the borders of swamps. Biology Black lechwe have a peculiar system of living. They do not follow rigid community bindings. Rather they prefer flocking together in bigger groups. Lechwe enjoy fording through neck-high waters, looking for their favorite energizing plants. However, males prefer to stay on drier grounds, as compared to females. Lechwe have a unique system of reproduction, which takes place in November and February, during the rainy season. The males fight among themslves to seize grounds located amidst female areas. A female once impregnated, gives birth to a single young, after seven or eight months. New borns are kept hidden in dry area where the mothers keep coming back to nurse the young. Lechwe mostly feed on rich grass produced on the highly fertile floodplain soil. Lechwe flocks are known to follow paths of seasonal flood.
During intense floods, they hide in the woods. They swim very fast due to their large, strong hind legs which greatly assist in paddling through water. While in water, they can out-run hunters and stalkers, taking long leaps. While on ground they look sluggish.
Threats Large scale hunting and construction of water dams endanger the aquatic antelope species. Water dams eliminate floods and change the river systems which make it difficult for these antelopes to survive.