Waterbucks belong to the large family of bovids, plant-eating hooved animals with horns and a four-chambered stomach for extracting nutrients from a diet of grass or foliage. These ruminants regurgitate food that is rechewed (chewing the cud). Domestic cattle, also of the bovid family, chew their cud.
Waterbucks belong to a subfamily of bovids called Reduncinae, which also includes kobs, reedbucks, and lechwes. Waterbucks are the largest animals in this sub-family, with males weighing more than 500 lb (227 kg) and standing more than 4 ft (1.2 m) at the shoulders. Female waterbucks are slightly smaller. Only male waterbucks have horns, which are V-shaped, tapered, ridged, and curve backward, the…
The importance of proximity to water plays an important role in the social behavior of waterbucks. Not only do they need the water for drinking, but they also use water to fend off predators, for they are good swimmers. Competition to be near water is reflected among male relationships. Male waterbucks are territorial, but they will tolerate several other males within their territory. These so-cal…
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