Lord Derby's eland, Greater eland
The Giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus) is the largest species of antelope. It is also called "Lord Derby's eland" in honor of Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby. It was due to his efforts that the Giant eland was first introduced to England between 1835 and 1851. Although the Giant eland is somewhat larger than the Common eland, the epithet 'giant' actually refers to its large horns.
The Giant elands are spiral-horned antelopes. Their smooth coat is reddish-brown to chestnut, usually darker in males than females, with 8-12 well-defined vertical white stripes on the torso. The color of the male's coat darkens with age. A crest of short black hair extends down the neck to the middle of the back, and is particularly prominent on the shoulders. The slender legs are slightly lighter on their inner surfaces, with black and white markings just above the hooves. There are large black spots on the upper forelegs. The bridge of the nose is charcoal black, and there is a thin, indistinct tan-colored line, which is the chevron, between the eyes. The lips are white, as are several dots along the jawline. A pendulous dewlap, larger in males than females, originates from between the jowls and hangs to the upper chest when they reach reproductive maturity, with a fringe of hair on its edge. The large ears of the giant eland serve as signaling devices. Giant elands have comparatively longer legs than the common eland, as well as much brighter black and white markings on the legs and pasterns. Both sexes have tightly spiraled, V-shaped horns. They can be up to 124 cm (4.07 ft) long on males and 67 cm (2.20 ft) on females. Males have horns that are thicker at the ends, longer, and more divergent than those of females.
Giant elands are found in Chad, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and South Sudan. They live in the broad-leafed savanna, woodlands, and glades of central and western Africa. They are also found in forests as well as on the fringes of deserts. Giant elands inhabit places near hilly or rocky landscapes and those that have nearby water sources.
Giant elands are nocturnal animals that have large home ranges and seasonal migration patterns. They are social and form separate groups of males and of females and juveniles. Adult males mainly remain alone and often spend time with females for an hour to a week. Giant eland herds usually consist of 15-25 animals (sometimes even more) and do not disband during the wet season. During the day, herds often rest in sheltered areas. As many other animals do, Giant elands scrape mineral lick sites with the help of horns to loosen the soil. These animals are alert and wary. If a male senses danger, he will give deep-throated barks while leaving the herd, repeating the process until the whole herd is aware of the danger. Giant elands can move quickly, and despite their size are good jumpers. They can jump up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) high. Giant elands have many predators, however, they are not easily taken by any predator, especially heavy and large-horned males which can be dangerous even for a lion pride.
Giant elands are herbivorous (folivorous) animals that eat grasses, foliage, and other parts of a plant. They can eat coarse, dry grass and weeds if nothing else is available. They also eat fruits, such as plums.
Giant elands are polygynous and dominant males mate with multiple females. During the breeding season, males fight for dominance. During these fights, they lock horns and try to twist the necks of their opponents. Males also rub their foreheads in fresh urine or mud and thresh and throw loose earth on themselves using their horns. Giant elands breed throughout the year with the peak in the wet season. The gestation period lasts nine months after which a single calf is delivered, and it remains with its mother for 6 months. Lactation can last for 4 to 5 months. After the first 6 months, the young eland might join a group of other juveniles. Females usually reach reproductive maturity at about two years of age, and males at 4 to 5 years.
The main threats to Giant elands are overhunting for their rich meat and habitat destruction caused by the expansion of human and livestock populations. They are also hunted for their meat, hides, and trophies as game animals.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of Giant elands is around 12,000-14,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
