THE SITUTUNGA 



seasons of heavy floods, the water in these vast 

 marshes becomes so deep that the natives are able 

 to paddle over them in their canoes, and success- 

 fully round up and spear the Situtungas. 



To avoid their enemies, these antelopes often sink 

 their bodies deep in the muddy water with only 

 the nostrils above its surface. Concealed thus they 

 will not move even should a canoe touch them in 

 passing. Unless driven from its marshy haunts by 

 fire or natives in canoes, the Situtunga is rarely 

 seen. Occasionally a momentary glimpse of one 

 may be obtained about sunset or after dawn on the 

 edges on a reedy marsh. When driven on to hard 

 ground it is possible to run down these animals 

 on foot, so clumsy and awkward are they. In 

 adapting this antelope for a semi-aquatic existence 

 in marshy country. Nature has deprived it of the 

 fleetness of foot so characteristic of the rest of the 

 antelope tribe. 



The flesh of the Situtunga is rank and unpleasant 

 to the European palate. 



This antelope was first met with in 1852 by 

 Dr. Livingstone. The Situtunga is slightly larger 

 than its close relative the Inyala, standing about 

 45 inches at the withers. In the typical species 

 from the Victoria Nyanza neighbourhood, the full- 

 grown males are greyish-brown and unstriped, and 

 the females arc rufous with rather indistinct body- 

 stripes. In the western race or sub-species {T. 

 spekei gratus) the male and female are, in colour 



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