Greater kudu (male)

The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as kudu, the other being the lesser kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis. If they do not want to be seen they will stand motionless in bushes and under trees to avoid detection and then only the very experienced human eyes can see them. Both males and females have numerous white markings, including 6-10 vertical stripes along the sides, a chevron between the eyes, and cheek spots. All of them have a short upright mane from the top of the head to the shoulders, extending underneath along the throat. The black-tipped, bushy tail is white underneath. When disturbed, the tail is curled up over the back so that the white underside serves as a visual alarm signal for the rest of the herd to follow in dense bushes. Only males have long, spiral horns that are spectacular, making up to 3 graceful twists with an average length of 51″. The horns are seldom used in defence against predators; nor are they an impediment in wooded habitats. The kudu bulls will only tilt the chin up and lay the horns against the back, moving easily through dense bush. Predators of the greater kudu generally consist of lions, leopards and hunting dogs. Although cheetahs also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a mature male, so usually go for the more vulnerable females and offspring.
For those who watched the World Cup in South Africa you might be interested to know that the now famous Vuvuzela are derived from the Kudu horn. This instrument was used by local African tribes to call villagers to meetings or to announce other traditional occasions.