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| Subspecies: | Unknown |
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| Est. World Population: | 80000-100000 |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Near Threatened |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
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| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
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Habitat:
The Lesser Kudu is closely associated with Acacia-Commiphora thornbush in semi-arid areas of north-eastern Africa; it generally avoids open spaces and long grass (East 1999, Leuthold 2013). They are largely confined to lowland areas up to 1,200 m (Stewart and Stewart 1963) but have been recorded at about 1,740 m near Mt Kilimanjaro (Grimshaw et al. 1995). The Lesser Kudu is primarily a browser, consuming mainly leaves of trees, shrubs and herbs (Leuthold 2013).
Range:
The Lesser Kudu occupies semi-arid areas of north-eastern Africa, commonly known as the Somali-Masai Arid Zone, in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania. Its range extends from ca 12°N in the Awash area of Ethiopia southward through southern Ethiopia, much of Somalia except the northeast (i.e., east of 46°E and north of 08°N), most of Kenya except the southwest, extreme southeast Sudan, extreme northeast Uganda to northeast and central Tanzania (Leuthold 2013). It is probably extinct in Djibouti.
Two records of this species in Arabia (Harrison and Bates 1991) are based on sets of horns, one obtained in Saudi Arabia and the other in Yemen. No live animals have ever been reported from the region, there is no local word for the species, which is highly distinctive, and the import of horns and of live animals is common in the region.
Two records of this species in Arabia (Harrison and Bates 1991) are based on sets of horns, one obtained in Saudi Arabia and the other in Yemen. No live animals have ever been reported from the region, there is no local word for the species, which is highly distinctive, and the import of horns and of live animals is common in the region.
Conservation:
About one-third of the estimated total population occurs in protected areas. Important populations occur in protected areas such as Awash, Omo and Mago National Parks (Ethiopia), Tsavo National Park (Kenya) and Ruaha National Park and adjoining game reserves (Tanzania), but it occurs in larger numbers outside protected areas (East 1999).
The Lesser Kudu’s long-term survival prospects would be enhanced by improved protection and management of the relatively few protected areas which support substantial populations. In addition, its value as a trophy animal gives the species high potential for increased revenue generation in the extensive bushlands where it still occurs in good numbers outside national parks and equivalent reserves (East 1999).
The Lesser Kudu’s long-term survival prospects would be enhanced by improved protection and management of the relatively few protected areas which support substantial populations. In addition, its value as a trophy animal gives the species high potential for increased revenue generation in the extensive bushlands where it still occurs in good numbers outside national parks and equivalent reserves (East 1999).