Average Mass:
88 kg (195 lb)

Average Shoulder Height:
99 cm (39")

Rowland Ward:
71.12 cm (28 ")

SCI:
64 Points

Track: 70mm (2 3/4") x 51mm (2")

Limited to south Sudan and west Ethiopia (Wilson & Reeder, 1993), this lechwe has a very restricted and patchy range as shown in Fig. Its distribution was obtained from the country maps in East (1988). The output was then revised by Dr. R. East ( 23 June '97 ).

Categorical-discrete (CD) distribution model

The species occurs in swamp and river flooded grasslands (East, 1988; Kingdon, 1997).

The Nile lechwe was named "Kobus maria" in 1859 by Dr. J. E. Gray FRS (1800-1875), keeper at the British Museum, in honour of his wife Maria E. Gray (1787-1876); but the name had to be replaced by the earlier K. megaceros.  However, the name of Mrs. Gray stuck.  Lechwe (pronounced "lesh-we" or "lesh-way") is a name of Bantu origin meaning antelope.  Kobus (New Latin) from koba, an African name.  Megas (Greek) big, wide; keras (Greek) the horn of an animal.