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Get the book
Namibian
Wildlife
An Alternative Guide for the Traveller on Safari
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Greater Kudu |
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Excerpt(s) from the book
Namibian Wildlife - an alternative guide
for the traveller on safari. |
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"When I first arrived in
Namibia I read an article explaining that kudus were not really that big
a problem since only 4% of car crashes are due to kudus! 4% seemed
pretty big too me. The kudu is considered by some people to be the
second biggest antelope in Africa. Kudu are pretty common, particularly
on the roads south of Etosha down to the coast and across to Windhoek
i.e. the main area for tourists. They like to graze at night beside the
roads and when suddenly scared by a car will take flight in any
direction, including towards the car. Now add the fact that kudus are
magnificent jumpers and through either blind panic or supreme optimism
will try and jump over your 120km/hr car. The end result is lots of
accidents caused by kudus jumping on to car bonnets. The high jumping
means not only do they land on your bonnet, but many of them go through
the windscreen. If it is a bull kudu that means horns and all. If you
have to drive at night then keep scanning the verges on both sides of
the roads for reflective eyes. Better still, don’t drive at night." |
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© 2004 Sean Nicholson |
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