The Common Eland
Western Cape Safari Guide: Eland
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus and Species: Taurotragus oryx
Eland
The Common Eland is Africa’s largest antelope, known for its strength, stately presence, and spiral horns. Despite its size, the eland is a surprisingly agile and graceful animal, capable of jumping up to 2.5 metres high from a standing start. In South Africa, it can be found across open grasslands, savannas, and lightly wooded areas – including protected reserves in the Karoo.
Appearance
Common Eland have a light fawn or tawny coat with faint vertical white stripes along their sides. Older males tend to darken with age and may appear bluish-grey. Both males and females have twisted horns, although males’ horns are thicker and shorter. Males also develop a prominent dewlap (a fold of loose skin) beneath their throats.
Eland milk has an unusually high fat content - up to three times richer than cow’s milk. This adaptation allows calves to gain strength quickly in the early stages of life.
Size
As the largest antelope species in Africa, common elands are true giants of the plains.
Shoulder Height:
Male: up to 1.6 metres (5.2 feet)
Female: around 1.4 metres (4.6 feet)
Weight:
Male: 400 – 940 kilograms (880 – 2,070 pounds)
Female: 300 – 600 kilograms (660 – 1,320 pounds)
Diet
Elands are herbivorous browsers and grazers. They feed on grasses, leaves, fruits, and seeds. They are known for being extremely efficient foragers and can survive long periods without water by obtaining moisture from vegetation.
Location and Habitat
Common Elands are found throughout southern and eastern Africa, preferring grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands. They are well-adapted to arid and semi-arid regions such as the Karoo. Although generally sedentary, they can migrate in search of food and water.
Behaviour
Eland are social animals that typically move in herds ranging from a few individuals to over 100. These herds are loosely structured and often mixed in age and sex. Males are known for producing a clicking sound with their tendons while walking – thought to be a form of communication or a way to assert dominance.
Challenges and Threats
While common eland populations are considered stable in many protected areas, they still face growing pressure in the wild:
- Habitat Loss: Agricultural expansion and human settlement reduce their natural roaming grounds, particularly in arid zones.
- Hunting and Poaching: Eland are hunted for their meat, hides, and impressive horns. In some areas, overhunting has led to local population declines.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict: As they compete with livestock for grazing, eland may come into conflict with farmers in fringe areas near reserves.
- Climate Change: Shifts in rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts in semi-arid regions can lead to food scarcity, impacting eland survival and breeding success.
Territory
Common eland are not territorial in the traditional sense, as they are migratory and follow seasonal food availability.
Range Size: Herds may move over hundreds of kilometres across open plains, savannas, and bushveld.
In South Africa, they are found in the Karoo, Drakensberg, Free State, and several large game reserves.
They prefer areas with access to open grazing, light woodlands, and occasional shade, avoiding dense forest or overly arid dunes.
Breeding
Common Eland calves are usually born during the rainy season when food is most abundant. The gestation period lasts about nine months, after which a single calf is born. Calves can stand and move within hours of birth, and they often gather in nursery groups while their mothers graze nearby.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About the Eland
Elands can leap over 2.5 metres (8 feet) from a standing start, making them surprisingly agile.
Male elands produce a loud clicking sound with every step – created by tendons slipping over their leg joints. While the exact purpose is still debated, researchers believe it may serve as a warning signal or a way to advertise strength and dominance within the herd.
Despite their size, elands can run at speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph), although they tire quickly.
Generally, no. Elands are shy and avoid confrontation. However, large males with strong horns can be dangerous if cornered or provoked.
In the wild: Around 15 years, though some may live slightly longer in ideal conditions.
In captivity or protected reserves: Up to 20 years, due to better access to food, water, and protection from predators.
Lions, hyenas, and leopards prey on elands, particularly calves or older individuals. Their large size, herding behaviour, and speed offer protection.
Elands are primarily grazers, but they are also opportunistic browsers, meaning they eat both grass and leaves depending on availability.
Grazing: They feed on grasses, especially during the rainy season when fresh growth is abundant.
Browsing: In the dry season or when grass is scarce, elands will eat leaves, shoots, fruits, and branches from shrubs and trees.
Their adaptability in diet allows them to survive in a range of habitats, from open savannahs to woodlands.
In short, elands are mixed feeders – mainly grazers but flexible enough to browse when needed.
Elands typically give birth during the rainy season, when food is abundant and conditions are favourable for raising young.
Gestation period: Around 9 months.
Timing: In southern Africa, calves are usually born between November and April, coinciding with the peak of vegetation growth.
Calf at birth: Newborn elands weigh roughly 15–20 kg (33–44 lbs) and are well-camouflaged with a tawny coat and faint stripes that fade as they grow.
Early life: Calves stay close to their mothers, learning to graze and browse while remaining hidden from predators in thick cover.
Eland calves are relatively precocious, able to stand and follow their mother shortly after birth, which helps increase their chances of survival.
Elands (Taurotragus oryx) are the largest antelope species in Africa, and the name reflects their impressive build.
In some contexts, “eland” can also be used historically in southern Africa to describe large, game antelopes more generally, but today it specifically refers to this species.
In short, the name highlights the eland’s size, strength, and prominence among African antelopes.
Elands make a distinctive clicking or popping sound when they walk, which is unusual among antelopes.
Communication: The sound may help elands keep track of each other when moving through tall grass or dense bush.
Warning signal: It could also serve as a subtle alert to predators or other herd members, signalling movement or stress.
Anatomical cause: The noise is produced by tendons in their legs snapping over joints as they move, rather than by vocalisation.
In short, the eland’s click is a natural, mechanical sound that may play a role in herd cohesion and awareness.
Yes, eland are generally bigger than kudus, making them the largest antelope species in Africa.
Eland (Taurotragus oryx):
Height at shoulder: 1.2–1.6 m (4–5.2 ft)
Body length: 2–2.5 m (6.5–8 ft)
Weight: Males: 400–1,000 kg (880–2,200 lbs); Females: 300–600 kg (660–1,320 lbs)
Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros):
Height at shoulder: 1–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft)
Body length: 1.5–2.5 m (5–8.2 ft)
Weight: Males: 190–270 kg (420–600 lbs); Females: 120–210 kg (265–465 lbs)
So while kudus are tall and striking, elands are heavier, more robust, and generally larger overall.
The eland is important for several ecological, cultural, and conservation reasons:
Ecological role: As large herbivores, elands help shape vegetation patterns by grazing and browsing. They also disperse seeds through their droppings, supporting plant diversity.
Prey species: Elands are a key food source for large predators like lions and hyenas, contributing to the balance of predator-prey dynamics in their ecosystems.
Cultural significance: Historically, elands have been important in African folklore, hunting traditions, and as symbols of strength and resilience.
Conservation indicator: Healthy eland populations indicate well-managed savannah and woodland habitats, as they require large areas with sufficient food and water.
Economic and safari value: Elands are popular sightings on game drives, attracting tourists and supporting eco-tourism in Africa.
In short, elands are keystone species, contributing to biodiversity, ecological health, and cultural and economic value across southern and eastern Africa.
The myth of the eland originates from African folklore and San (Bushman) rock art traditions, where the eland is often seen as a sacred and mystical animal.
Symbol of strength and fertility: The eland is sometimes depicted as a source of life and power, with its size and strength inspiring respect.
Spiritual connection: In San beliefs, the eland is linked to rain, healing, and trance dances. Hunters and shamans believed that mimicking the eland’s behaviour or drawing it in rock art could bring rain, success in hunting, or spiritual insight.
Trance dance and hunting magic: The eland’s graceful movements and social behaviour were thought to embody supernatural qualities, and shamans would enter trance dances inspired by the eland to connect with spirits.
The eland is more than just a large antelope in African mythology – it is a powerful symbol of life, fertility, and spiritual connection.
Elands have faint vertical stripes along their bodies, which serve several purposes:
Camouflage: The stripes help break up the eland’s outline in grasslands, woodlands, and bushy habitats, making it harder for predators to spot them.
Age and identification: Stripes are most prominent in calves and fade as the animal matures, helping mothers and herd members recognise young individuals.
Species signalling: The subtle pattern may also play a role in social communication within the herd, signalling age, health, or status.
In short, the stripes are an evolutionary adaptation that helps elands survive by blending into their environment and maintaining herd cohesion.
Elands have twisted (spiral) horns, primarily seen in males but sometimes in females, which serve several purposes:
Defense: The horns are used to protect themselves from predators such as lions, hyenas, and leopards.
Dominance and mating: Males use their horns in sparring battles to establish dominance and win mating rights with females. The spiral shape allows for locking and pushing without causing fatal injuries.
Species recognition: The distinct twisted horns help elands recognise each other and signal maturity and strength.
Aesthetic camouflage: The spirals may also help break up their outline among trees and bushes, subtly aiding in camouflage.