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The greater kudu of South Africa has tawny-brown to grey-brown coats with distinctive white stripes running down on its flanks. They have a white V-shaped band across the eyes and forehead with white spots on their cheeks. There are strong physical differences between males and females. The males grow long, spiral horns that can reach up to 1,8 m in length. The kudu bull’s horns reach full length at the age of six years old, and males are significantly larger than females. Bulls can weigh as much as 300 kg with a shoulder height of 1.4 m and cows weigh 210 kg with a shoulder height of 1.25 m. Kudu have long manes of hair that run on its back from head to tail and along the lower neck to the underbelly. A kudu herd tends to split up into two sub-groups. Young females remain with their mothers, while sexually mature males around the age of two years old form bachelor groups. Kudu males will join the female herds during mating season. No territorial spacing exists amongst bulls, but as they show age in their physical appearance, they have size-graded dominant hierarchies.
Info source: http://southafrica.co.za/kudu.html
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The photo was taken during January 2015 at Mabula Private Game Reserve, Rooiberg, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.

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The Drakensberg Sun Resort is situated high in the dramatic landscape of the Cathkin Peak area of the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa from where magnificent views and fresh mountain air can be enjoyed. This region is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. It is a mountainous and alpine area in KwaZulu-Natal laid out into four valleys, consisting of the Champagne Valley in the Central Berg, the Cathedral Peak and Didima Valley, the Royal Natal National Park, and Amphitheatre Valley, as well as the Middledale Pass Valley in the Northern Berg. Each of these four breathtaking valleys presents its kind of character and beauty with magnificent mountain vistas. Set in the Cathkin and Champagne Valley, the resort is located near the Cathkin and Champagne Castle which have astonishing peaks at 3,149 meters and 3,248 meters. These two mountains, together with the famous Monk’s Cowl which measures 3,234 meters in height, represent the highest summits of the Mountains.
Info source: https://www.south-african-hotels.com/hotels/drakensberg-sun-hotel/
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The photo was taken during October 2018 at Drakensberg Sun Resort, Champagne Valley, Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

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The chacma baboon usually lives in social groups, called troops, which are composed of multiple adult males, adult females, and their offspring. Occasionally, however, very small groups form that consist of only a single adult male and several adult females. Chacma troops are characterized by a dominance hierarchy. Female ranking within the troop is inherited through the mother and remains relatively fixed, while the male ranking is often in flux, especially when the dominant male is replaced. Chacmas are unusual among baboons in that neither males nor females form strong relationships with members of the same sex. Instead, the strongest social bonds are often between unrelated adult males and females. Infanticide is also common, compared to other baboon species, as newly dominant males will often attempt to kill young baboons sired by the previously dominant male. Baboon troops possess a complex group behaviour and communicate by means of body attitudes, facial expressions, vocalizations and touch.
Info source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chacma_baboon
The photo was taken during February 2019 Mabula Private Game Reserve, Rooiberg, Limpopo, South Africa.
📷 Mariaan Buys

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