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The mountain reedbuck is a seldom spotted medium-sized antelope that prefer mountainous areas. They occur in Kruger National Park, but the Drakensberg or Golden Gate offers a better chance to view these antelope in the wild.
Need Advice?Mountain Reedbucks are leanly built antelope. Their fur coat ranges from a dark brown color to a lighter, almost ginger color. Their horns aren’t as large as their more common relatives and aren’t angled out much. Only males have horns.
They are not widely spread animals and have three separate populations in Africa. The first, in South Africa, from parts of the Eastern Cape where the southern Drakensberg Mountain range starts, all along the mountain range towards Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, respectively, where the mountain range merges with the northern Drakensberg Mountains. Their next population is situated far north from there, in parts of Kenya and Ethiopia. Finally, a tiny population is found only within Cameroon's highland areas.
They are of 'least concern' as a species. The southern mountain reedbuck is the sub-species locally found within the Kruger National Park and is the most common of the three sub-species of mountain reedbuck, with a population total of well over 33 000 individuals. However, the other two sub-species are rare, with the vulnerable Chandler's mountain reedbuck having around 2 900 members left and the endangered western mountain reedbuck only 450 individuals.
These antelope inhabit the plateau's edge in rocky areas, usually within large mountain ranges like the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa and the highlands of Ethiopia. The altitudes at which they occur are generally between 1500 meters and 5000 meters above sea level, with a steady food supply in the form of highland grasslands. A constant water supply is an essential part of their habitats.
Mountain reedbuck usually form herds of up to 14 animals, but 4 to 5 members on average. One male governs the herd, and a few females and young they live under his protection and control. The herd has a home range, but whether or not they are territorial is unknown. Males and Females are sometimes solitarily, although it is rare for males and females. Males that do not have a herd and aren't yet able to compete for one usually live with other males in a bachelor herd.
We recommend the following National Parks and Private Reserves for the best chances of spotting the mountain reedbuck on safari game drives and bush walks.
These antelope are visual in their territorial displays. They erect their posture proudly and snort heavily through their nostrils when a neighbor or wanderer is sighted and may even make shrill sounds as their whole body shakes egotistically. These displays are also motivated by obtaining more mates during mating season. Whistling sounds typically accompany these movements, some 1 to 3 whistles in short succession.
Mating occurs seasonally following a short courtship in which a male establishes dominance over a small group of females. He mates with all the females in his heart. Mountain reedbuck fawns a typically born around the start of the rainy season when food is abundant. Their mothers usually hide them in thick vegetation during the first month of their lives when they are most vulnerable to predators, eagles, and snakes.
Their reaction in situations of danger is almost precisely the same as that of the Common Reedbuck, with one distinct difference. That difference mentioned is that instead of snorting while running, they whistle to ensure others are alerted. The challenge is greater for these animals when running, mainly due to the uneven terrain in their habitat. Their primary predator is the leopard.
