The majestic horns of the kudu bulls is what makes them attractive to both photographers and trophy hunters. Kudu generally prefer bushy areas and, being predominantly browsers, they tend to feed on leaves and seedpods, as well as the fresh shoots of grass. Note the vertical stripes on the torso of this kudu cow.
Here a kudu bull is reaching into a bush for leaves.
Adult bulls tend to be solitary or can be seen in bachelor groups, such as this one.
As you can see from the photograph below, the head of the kudu is noticeably darker than the rest of its body. The bulls have beards running along their throats. I am sure you will agree that their horns are truly magnificent.
Here two bulls are sizing up each other, probably in a fight over females during the mating season.
I think the cows can be equally interesting to look at. One cannot help noticing the large ears of this cow and her calf. The calf is still fuzzy and is following its mother as they move towards the shelter of the nearby bushes.
Kudu cows and their calves can be seen in groups. Here the dominant bull is on the right and you can see a young bull with very short horns by comparison on the left.
Kudu have a distinctive white chevron that runs between the eyes as well as narrow stripes that run down the flanks.
Despite their size, kudu are able to jump very high – seemingly without effort. I was driving along a dirt road late the other afternoon when a kudu crossed the road ahead of me and calmly jumped over a fence that must have been close to three meters high! Given all of the above, it is not surprising to find that the kudu is the emblem of the South African National Parks.