About Redunca fulvorufula (Afzelius, 1815)
The mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula) averages 75 cm (30 in) at the shoulder and weighs approximately 30 kg (66 lb). It has a grey coat, a white underbelly, and reddish-brown coloring on its head and shoulders. Males have ridged, forward-curving horns that measure around 15.2 cm (6.0 in) long. Both males and females have a dark scent patch located beneath their ears.
This species is found across three separate geographic regions, each home to a distinct subspecies. The southern mountain reedbuck inhabits the area stretching from eastern Cape Province in South Africa to southeastern Botswana. Chanler's mountain reedbuck occurs in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia. The Adamawa mountain reedbuck has only been found along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Mountain reedbuck occupy ridges and hillsides in rocky terrain, as well as high-elevation grasslands that often include some tree or bush cover, at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 m. The current total estimated population of all mountain reedbuck subspecies is around 36,000 individuals.
Mountain reedbuck are predominantly grazers, and access to water is an important requirement for their habitat. They typically feed during the early morning and early evening, and usually live in small groups of six or fewer animals. A typical group consists of one adult male, several adult females, and juveniles. Adolescent males are driven out of their natal herds and go on to form small all-male bachelor herds. The lifespan of mountain reedbuck in the wild has not been recorded, but captive individuals of closely related species have been documented living up to 18 years. Mountain reedbuck populations face pressure from hunting and human encroachment on their habitat, and overall populations are currently declining. The IUCN has classified this species as Endangered.
