The kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a large African antelope recognizable by the male’s majestic spiraled horns. This creature occupies savanna and woodland habitats across eastern and southern Africa. The kudu’s survival is linked to a specialized diet that allows it to thrive where food quality and availability fluctuate drastically.
Primary Food Sources Browsed
The kudu is fundamentally a browser, meaning its diet consists primarily of the leaves, shoots, buds, and fruits of woody plants, shrubs, and trees, rather than grazing on grasses. Woody browse constitutes between 70% and 80% of the animal’s annual intake. This preference allows them to occupy dense, bushy habitats unsuitable for true grazers.
Kudus seek out protein-rich forage, including forbs—broad-leaved herbaceous plants—which are highly desired when available. They consume a variety of plant species, such as the leaves of thorny trees like acacia and various shrubs. They also opportunistically eat fruit (mast) and soft young shoots, which offer concentrated sources of energy and nutrients.
Selective Feeding Habits
Kudus are known for their selective feeding strategy, which differs from the non-selective bulk grazing of other herbivores. They use their mobile lips and narrow muzzle to precisely pick individual leaves or shoots, often stripping them from thorny branches without ingesting the spines. This targeted consumption maximizes the intake of digestible protein while minimizing the ingestion of plant defensive compounds like tannins.
The kudu’s feeding schedule is typically crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the cooler hours of the early morning and late afternoon. This behavior helps them avoid the midday heat and coincides with periods when leaves have higher moisture content. Their need to methodically select high-quality browse compels them to forage over relatively wide areas compared to bulk feeders.
Diet Changes Based on Habitat and Season
The kudu is an adaptable generalist browser, allowing its diet to vary significantly with changes in season and habitat. During the wet season, the abundance of new, succulent growth allows them to select the most nutritious foliage, often focusing on new leaves from deciduous woody species. Studies have shown that during this period, they select for plants with high levels of protein and phosphorus.
As the environment transitions into the dry season, the quality and quantity of preferred foods decline sharply. To survive, kudus must broaden their diet, resorting to tougher, drier evergreen leaves and sometimes even bark or roots. The consumption of grass, which is typically a small portion of their diet, may also increase during the dry season as other forage options become scarce. This seasonal elasticity in food choice is a key adaptation that permits them to thrive.
Hydration Needs and Water Sources
The kudu’s moisture requirements are closely tied to the water content of the vegetation it consumes. A significant adaptation to arid environments is their ability to satisfy a large portion of their hydration needs from their food, particularly by eating succulent leaves and water-rich fruits. This allows them to survive for extended periods away from permanent water sources, a trait especially pronounced in the lesser kudu species.
Despite this adaptation, kudus prefer to drink surface water daily when it is readily available. During severe dry seasons, they will actively seek out plants that retain moisture, such as certain roots or wild melons. This reliance on plant-based moisture provides a substantial advantage by reducing their vulnerability to predators near watering holes.