Hunting the Nile Sitatunga

The sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii), also referred to as the marshbuck, is a medium-sized amphibious antelope native to central Africa. This species of African plains game antelope enjoys a habitat of swamps and marshlands, ensuring a challenging (and wet!) game hunting safari. This hunt can be quite enjoyable as these antelopes are often hunted from a canoe.

There are three recognized subspecies of the Sitatunga antelope:

• s. spekii: Nile sitatunga or East African sitatunga
• s. gratus: Congo Sitatunga, also known as the forest sitatunga or the Western sitatunga
• s. selousi: Zambezi sitatunga, also known as the Southern Sitatunga

The Nile Sitatunga, or West African sitatunga as it is also referred to, is found in southern Sudan, near the White Nile and its tributaries, Uganda, as well as in the northern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is listed by the International Union for the Conversation of Nature (IUCN) with a status of “least concern.”

These semi-aquatic antelopes have large hooves that are widely splayed, allowing them to walk on terrain without sinking. It also assists them in escaping from predators, such as wild dogs and leopards, by fleeing into deeper waters. They are greatly accomplished swimmers and if chased, they will enter deeper water and submerge themselves until only their nostrils are visible.

Breeding occurs throughout the year, with females giving birth to one offspring. The sitatunga is nocturnal and diurnal, although they are more active at dusk and dawn, preferring to rest in the shade of the reeds during the day.