Red Lechwe hunting in South Africa

A reddish brown, long haired medium sized animal resembling his close cousin, a Waterbuck. This species was primarily found in the aquatic habitats of the Okavango Delta (Botswana) and Caprivi Strip (Namibia). They graze early in the morning and late afternoon on the shallow floodplains and river verges, resting up during the midday heat. Successfully introduced as a game ranched animal to South Africa where they seem to thrive without a watery environment. Good size herds can now be found in the Eastern Cape, Free State and Northern Cape Provinces. One of the largest hunting herds is found on a territory in the Mpumalanga province. They have longer back legs than front legs with splayed hooves evolved for jumping through shallow water and fleeing from predators with ease through muddy terrain. On land they have a strange gait but readily take refuge in water and are known as strong swimmers. Living on these open swamp and riverine flats makes stalking difficult, so be prepared to take a long shot. Classified as near threatened by the IUCN, no special hunting permits are required.