common lechwe
Quick Summary
The common lechwe (Kobus leche) is a species of antelope found in the wetlands of southern Africa, primarily in countries like Zambia, Botswana, and Angola. It is closely related to waterbucks and kobs.12
Lechwes are known for their semi-aquatic lifestyle, inhabiting floodplains, marshes, and swamps. They possess unique, splayed hooves that help them navigate soft, wet ground. Males are larger than females and have distinctive lyre-shaped horns. Their coats are water-repellent, with color variations among subspecies, ranging from tawny to chestnut, and some males displaying darker coloration.1
These antelopes are herbivores that feed on aquatic grasses and grasses found in receding floodwaters. They often migrate with the changing water levels and depend on water to escape predators. Lechwes are also known for forming breeding arenas, or leks, where males display to females.1
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