Bushbuck, Moremi (Botswana) - July 2019 (1 Viewer)

marcperxas · Aug 11, 2019

Hello,

This picture was taken at Third Bridge Campsite, Moremi, Botswana.

I know for sure it's a Bushbuck, but I'd like someone to tell me if it's an Imbabala (Cape Bushbuck), or could be a Chobe Bushbuck (which I think is also different from the Kewel.

I think the Chobe Bushbuck differs in the colour

Any help?

Thanks!
Marc

Andy Adcock · Aug 11, 2019

Here's a 'Chobe' from the Kunene area of Namibia for comparison.

marcperxas · Aug 12, 2019

andyadcock said:
Here's a 'Chobe' from the Kunene area of Namibia for comparison.

And here you have more pictures of the same Bushbuck.
I understand they're a bit dfferent, but it could be dute to the maturity?
According to the region (Moremi), it shouldn't be a "Chobe's"

Marc

Andy Adcock · Aug 12, 2019

It looks like a Chobe to me and having looked at HMW, range looks perfect.

marcperxas · Aug 13, 2019

andyadcock said:
It looks like a Chobe to me and having looked at HMW, range looks perfect.

If the one I saw in Moremi is actually a Chobe, then the 2 females I photographed last year at Kapama (South Africa) may also be Chobe's?
I thought they were Cape Bushbucks. What do you think?

I don't find much realiable information regards the different bushbuck species. We could say the Cape Bushbuck is darker in colour and a little bit larger?

Thanks
Marc

Andy Adcock · Aug 13, 2019

Cape, has a more Easterly range than Chobe which shouldn't occur in SA but if these were in a private lodge, it's anybody's guess what their origins are.

If you have an interest in Mammals, I suggest you try and start collecting this set, it's expensive but very detailed.

https://www.lynxeds.com/product-category/by-categories/encyclopedias/hmw/

Andy Adcock · Aug 13, 2019

Here are some shots from HMW showing range of each.

marcperxas · Aug 15, 2019

andyadcock said:
Here are some shots from HMW showing range of each.

Wow, there are so many Bushbuck subspecies; this is crazy.

I agree with you. According to the range they should be female Cape Bushbucks, but as Kapama is a fenced private game reserve, then who knows.. Anyway, I'll try to contact them, maybe they already know the subspecies.

Regards the Moremi sighting (first post), I trust you, so I'm going to "tick" the Chobe Bushbuck of my list |

|

Thank you for recommendation of the HMW. For the momment I won't consider them, but in the future, who knows!

Thank you

Marc

T.O. · Aug 16, 2019

Antelope taxonomy in Handbook of the Mammals of the World is often plain wrong. It is a direct copy of the radical proposals from Ungulate Taxonomy by Groves & Grubb. This means no checking of evidence is done and evidence for many of the splits is lacking. This leads to gigantic oversplitting as a very radical version of the PSC is followed.

That said the animals in Botswana are ornatus or Chobe bushbuck. This is however a subspecies not a real species. There is however good evidence that 2 species of Bushbuck exist, one in East and Southern Africa, the other in West and Central Africa. This would mean all Bushbuck in Southern African belong to the species Tragelaphus sylvaticus, of which ornatus would be a subspecies. For more information see this link (and the references therein):

https://www.zoochat.com/community/t...ce-for-the-splits-of-g-g.467230/#post-1033381

marcperxas · Aug 16, 2019

andyadcock said:
Here are some shots from HMW showing range of each.

Andy,

I asked a Kapama Head Ranger about the type of Bushbuck. This is what he answered:

Yes this will be a Female Cape Bushbuck (Tragelaphus Scriptus) this will cover most of southern Africa.

If you go into more detail this is the Tragelaphus Scriptus Roualeyni, but it does not have a common name to it.
So this will still fall under the Cape Bushbuck, but this sub species will be more specific to the Limpopo area were Kapama is based

Thanks!
Marc

marcperxas · Aug 16, 2019

T.O. said:
Antelope taxonomy in Handbook of the Mammals of the World is often plain wrong. It is a direct copy of the radical proposals from Ungulate Taxonomy by Groves & Grubb. This means no checking of evidence is done and evidence for many of the splits is lacking. This leads to gigantic oversplitting as a very radical version of the PSC is followed.

That said the animals in Botswana are ornatus or Chobe bushbuck. This is however a subspecies not a real species. There is however good evidence that 2 species of Bushbuck exist, one in East and Southern Africa, the other in West and Central Africa. This would mean all Bushbuck in Southern African belong to the species Tragelaphus sylvaticus, of which ornatus would be a subspecies. For more information see this link (and the references therein):

https://www.zoochat.com/community/t...ce-for-the-splits-of-g-g.467230/#post-1033381

T.O.,

Thank you so much for your information, which I'm going to read carefully.
By the way, you surprised me with your statement about the HMW. This is good to know!

Marc

Bushbuck, Moremi (Botswana) - July 2019 (1 Viewer)

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