Antelopes, hop, hop

   One last round and then I’ll return to The Gambia; there were so many things to discover in this place, especially as it was our first time.

   When it comes to fauna indigenous to this reserve, there are only the phacochoerus, the Patas monkeys and the Bushbuck. The other animals have been introduced over the years. Some have also been swapped with another reserve; Bandia.

   In 2001, 28 Roan antelope – also known as the Horse antelope due to their size and appearance – were brought in. They stand at 2m40 and can weigh up to 220 to 300kgs. Very similar to the Waterbuck, for an amateur like me confusing the two is easy. The buffalos also date from that year.

   In 2003, Giraffes, Eland, and two White rhinos joined the already-present fauna and adapted well to their new environment.

   The Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa) is getting rarer and rarer in Western Africa. It eats grass and lives in the open savannah not too far from water point (from which it gets its name of “Water antelope”). Only males have horns, which are rounded and spiralled, and its shoulders stand at 1m30 for 240kgs. It’s the 3^rd biggest antelope behind the Eland and the Roan antelope. It can live up to 20 years and its reddish-brown hair gets darker with age.

   The Kob (Kobus Kob), rare, lives in the same environment as the previous antelope and, like the latter, only the male has horns. Slightly smaller, its shoulder height is at 1m and it weighs between 80 and 100kgs. It doesn’t enjoy captivity and is therefore very rarely found in zoos or penned reserves.

   The Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)… well, it’s Bambi ! at least by its fur when it’s a baby☺. As an adult, it’s “only” 80 to 100cm for 80kg. Here again, only males have horns. It lives in forests and shrubbed areas close to water points. It feeds mainly on grass, young leaves and shoots, occasionally on roots, turnips, plantations, and fruit.

   The Common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) is a mini one, standing at 60cms, and is not a water-reliant species. Territorial, the female is larger than the male. It can be found all across Africa. 

   Here is the park’s giant, the Common eland (Taurotragus oryx), also known as the Southern eland or the Eland antelope, that has been imported from South Africa where it’s a common sight. It can measure from 2m40 to 3m80 and reach 900kgs. It can live with a lot to drink or indeed with nothing to drink for months. Males and females have horns and for the males, the hairs on the forehead get more and more ruffled with age. It’s one of the only reserves in the world where you can observe them so easily and from so close. It lives for around 25 years and often forms large herds; Fathala has about twenty of them. Its gestation period is of 9 months and in nature, the males defend the young from lions.

   One final animal that we met, though in his pen, is the Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). The park only has a few but keeps them penned as they would do some damage to the rest of the fauna. A strange animal that simultaneously scares, but who, in presence of the guard, went to muzzle and lick him like a dog (though still with the safety grille as it remains a predator !). The hyena is between 40 and 80kgs and the female is heavier, larger, and more aggressive than the male. In its natural habitat, it lives in the savannah and is known to consume14kg of food in one meal !

   And there you have it – time to return to Gambia and to continue to find things to do… which is not an easy feat !