Sitatunga
Scientific name: Tragelaphus spekii
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
Males are dark grey-brown to nearly black with faint vertical white stripes; females are lighter chestnut-brown with more prominent stripes. Males develop long, spiral horns (45–75 cm); females are hornless or carry short spikes. Males are notably larger and more robust.
Size and weight
Males 110–130 cm body length, 45–65 kg; females 100–115 cm, 30–45 kg.
Habitat
Sitatunga inhabit dense papyrus swamps, reed beds, and flooded woodland with water depths of 0.3–2 m. They prefer areas with thick emergent vegetation and minimal human disturbance, typically at low to moderate altitudes.
Distribution
Found in freshwater swamps and wetlands across central Africa, from Chad and Sudan south to Zambia and Mozambique, with isolated populations in West African inland deltas.
Diet
Primary diet consists of papyrus shoots, reeds, water lilies, and aquatic grasses; they also browse terrestrial vegetation at swamp margins during dry seasons.
Behaviour
Sitatunga are crepuscular and nocturnal, most active at dawn and dusk. Solitary or in small family groups; males defend territories in wet season. They move slowly and deliberately through dense cover, rarely venturing into open water.
Hunting tips
Look for narrow, deep tracks in mud and soft substrate near reed beds and papyrus margins; droppings are small, dark pellets clustered in latrines. Approach from downwind during early morning or late afternoon, moving slowly through shallow water and dense vegetation. Use canoe or wading to access interior swamp; locate animals by listening for movement and water displacement.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 5 countries in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.