How to identify waterbuck
- Shaggy grey-brown coat
- Bold white ring around the rump
- Males carry long, ringed horns that curve back and up
Do not identify from one clue alone.
Distance, age, sex, season and light can change an animal’s appearance. Combine several visible features and keep “not sure” as a valid answer.
Behaviour and habitat
What you may notice
Often rests near woodland or water
What you may notice
Females and young may form loose groups
What you may notice
Males can be solitary or territorial
Where it fits
Riverine woodland, reedbeds and grassland close to dependable water.
What can it be confused with?
Female kudu lack horns too, but have large ears and pale vertical body stripes rather than a white rump ring.
View it responsibly
Scan woodland edges near water. Stay on designated roads and never approach a water edge on foot unless the reserve permits it.