Mammals
Giant Eland
Taurotragus derbianus · also called Lord Derby's eland, Derby eland
Standing taller than its already massive common eland relative, a giant eland carries a vividly striped chestnut coat and a heavy dewlap across the wooded savanna of West and Central Africa, though its westernmost population now survives in only a small corner of Senegal.
Overview
The giant eland, Taurotragus derbianus, is a huge antelope native to wooded savanna habitat across West and Central Africa. Its taller build, more vividly striped coat, and dramatic population split between a thriving east and a critically reduced west make it one of the most conservation-complex large antelope species found anywhere on the continent.
One species, two very different fates
The gap between the giant eland’s numerous eastern populations and its critically reduced western population mirrors a pattern seen in a handful of other wide-ranging African antelope, where geography alone can mean the difference between abundance and near-disappearance.
Status
Least Concern overall, though the isolated western population in Senegal has been reduced to a small number of individuals.
Giant Eland: common questions
How does the giant eland compare in size to the common eland?
This species stands taller at the shoulder than the common eland, though the two are similar in overall bulk, making the giant eland one of the tallest antelope species in the world.
Why is the giant eland's western population so endangered?
This species includes a western population in Senegal that has been reduced to only a small number of individuals due to habitat loss and hunting, in stark contrast to more numerous eastern populations elsewhere in its range.
How can you tell a giant eland from a common eland?
This species has a more vividly striped reddish-chestnut coat and a larger, more prominent dewlap than the common eland, along with a taller overall build.
Do female giant eland have horns?
Yes, this species has long, tightly spiralled horns present on both males and females, similar in shape to the common eland but often growing even longer.