SCIENTISTS define antelopes as members of a number of even toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa within the family of bovines which dwell in savannah in groups called herd.
Antelopes are found in 91 species which are found in about 30 genera, they are described as members of bovine’s family which do not include sheep, cattle, or goats but it includes eland and Thomson’s gazelles.
Reports from the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN indicate that about 25 species of antelopes are facing a great danger of extinction.
Standing from 55 to 82 centimeters while weighing between 25 and 35 kilogrammes, Thomson’s gazelle is one of smallest antelopes of the savanna.
With this weight the antelope is unable to stand firmly to protect its newly born fawn against predators like the way an elephant do by using its weight and height as the largest herbivorous of the savannah.
As this is happening, some scientists say that nature has its own way of helping certain species from extinction or accelerating their way out of the Earth.
This hypothesis is proved by villagers of Namatutwe and Chingungulu in Masasi District where Elands are grazing in the woodlands of Msanjesi game reserve.
Wamwera, Wayao and Wamakuwa are the main societies who live in the area around this game reserve which covers an area of about 210 square kilometers.
These are Bantu societies who believe that the super natural power love and protect people, landforms, plants, insects, birds and animals.
This is a very strong belief which has its roots on the banks of Niger river in West Africa near the Atlantic ocean where the southern Bantu came from more than six hundred years ago.
Through this animistic belief, these societies say it’s very tricky to hunt and kill the Cape eland which they use Mbunju a vernacular name to define the largest antelope of African jungle.
Many people in Masasi believed that even when a huge herd of more than 15 animals are standing at your disposal for a shoot and kill it’s almost impossible to hunt an eland.
According to traditional law before going into the bush to hunt an eland, the hunter is required to seek ancestral permission.
This is done through a special ritual which involves mentioning names of respected traditional leaders who led their people through different wars and natural calamities such as drought and hunger.
These are the likes of Machemba, Mataka, Mkuchichika and Magavila whose names are believed to have spiritual power capable of cleaning body, soul and heart of hunters.
It’s believed that the prayer will provide a hunter special power over wasps which protect the Cape eland as they walk, live in a nest built on its forehead.
In order to get spiritual anointment from the forefathers, people who live around Msanjesi game reserve believe you need to ask for forgiveness from your wife, relatives and neighbours.
If you decide on your own to go into the forest to hunt an eland the Mwera, Yao and Makua people believe that you will be lucky to find a herd of elands.
Filled with evil spirit and curiosity some hungry and irresponsible hunters may attempt to get into Msanjesi forest to hunt this largest antelope.
It’s said that as these bad people aim their sharp arrow armed with poisonous spike to the eland, wasps which protect the eland will quickly fly to their backs and deliver a smooth bite using a sharp venomous stinger.
Miraculously these bad people will not feel pain from the bites but quickly fall asleep until the herd of Cape elands walk out of their sight.
People in villages such as Mikisi, Chipunda, Chingulungulu and Namatutwe believe that if this sudden sleep caught you on the banks of Mbangala river you may drown, eaten by crocodiles or lions.
It’s widely believed that bulls of Cape eland harbour more wasps than females or juveniles, this is because they carry shorter but powerful horns.
In some villages around Msanjesi game reserve natives use the name Ipakalaha for the Cape eland, they also believe that some inquisitive hunters may shoot and wound the antelope but before making a second shoot it will extraordinarily stand and run for its dear life.
On their side, inside greater Serengeti ecosystem, to lead good lives in a challenging environment Thomson’s gazelles depend on the smart use of their common sense effectively.
During rainy season when there are plenty of grasses, adult males will go around in strategic areas to establish breeding territories where bachelor males are not allowed to enter.
The territory is established by marking grasses and shrubs by stems from Orbital gland which emit black fluid.
Different males may share boundaries and when they meet at the border may get into a mock fighting by rushing for each other as if they are going to fight but they don’t do so.
When the conflict is peacefully solved, the two rival males will graze by looking at each other, then at parallel move which is done to prevent one from getting into neighbour’s territory.
Then the two males will move backward while grazing and looking at each other.
This practice has no winner but helps them to maintain their borders for peace, stability and position in their society.
Usually a territorial male will not enter into another territory even if his female has crossed the border to another male’s territory.
Females from a visiting or migratory group are always welcomed into a territory of a strong male with more resources.
At the time of departure the territorial male may try to force them to stay but few of them will agree with him and stay back.
A male will follow a female to sniff her urine to find out if she is ready for mounting, if so he will pursue and court to mount her.
After a period of six months for gestation a female will leave the herd to give birth to a single fawn who comes out from the womb while the mother is in a standing position as if she is urinating in a selected and isolated place.
The female delivers a new fawn in a standing position while checking the area surrounding her for safety because of presence of predators.
Then the mother licks the fawn to clean or remove amniotic fluid and tissues from its body. She will lick its newborn to stimulate the blood circulation and mark it with her own scent.
The first six hours are spent by the two to build a bond between them and then the fawn walks away from its mother and hide deep into the grasses.
This place is carefully marked by stems from Orbital glands located on the side of their head just below eyes which emit black fluid.
The mother graze in the vicinity and may return to milk and stay with the fawn for an hour before going back to graze with others.
It’s the responsibility of the fawn to stay silently and hide from all forms of predators roaming everywhere in the jungle.
The mother may defend successfully her fawn against small predators such as Jackal and Baboon but they cannot do it when they are under attack from a cheetah or lion.
Sometime a mother may scare a Jackal and stop him from killing the fawn by head butting with her sharp horns.
With a capacity to run 80 Kilometers per hour female tommie may try cheat a Cheetah that she has a broken leg in order to mislead the enemy from her fawn.
Knowing that she is capable to outsmart the fastest land animal, she will go very close and run away very fast.
Within a period of two months the fawn starts slowly to join the mother on grazing.
It is during this time when the fawn starts to eat solid things and may accompany the mother to join the group.
Young Tommie female may stay with their mother for a long period but males are always chased by territorial male while they are at a middle age.
With a strong love from her heart, a mother may leave the herd to follow her son but as time goes on she will abandon him as territorial male pushes him very far into the bachelor’s group.
Bachelor tommies fight every day to get the higher position which may enable him to establish his breeding territory.
On the other side, from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi to Kenya and Uganda professional hunters say the Cape eland is smart antelope which needs a smart and powerful gun.
They don’t graze carelessly like other antelopes and whenever there is small indicator of danger it’s a responsibility of every member to issue a stress signal or call to others.
From this point the whole herd will quickly embark on jumping from two to three meters high over savannah bushes while running at a top speed of 70 kilometers per hour.
With body weight of 1,000 kilogrames, scientist say the Cape eland is extraordinarily agile because it out runs the Cape buffalo which has the same weight but can only run at a top speed of 35 kilometres per hour.
Scientists also say it’s not easy for lions to hunt and kill Cape elands because of their habit of grazing nervously.
If a pride of lions try to pursue them they can continue to run a top speed of 40 kilometers per hour for 22 kilometers.
These rumours and beliefs about the Cape eland are also found in area around Serengeti national park in different wards such as Mbalimbali, Machochwe, Sedeko and Manchira where the Waikizu community lives.
This is a pastoralist society who also believes that the Cape elands are protected by an elusive band of wasps which live inside their horns and forehead.
Just like the people around Msanjesi game reserve, the Waikizu society of Serengeti believes ancestral permission is required before someone kills an eland.
They say before going into the forest for a Cape eland a hunter is required to clean himself in a special ritual known as Umusangura.
From this point it’s believed that the hunter may go into the forest while carrying his arms and ritual stick.
Whenever the hunter sees a herd of elands he is required to break the stick into seven small pieces which are thrown toward the antelopes.
If it’s a right day for one eland to die it will stand still while others are running allowing the hunter to kill it smoothly.
The Waikizu traditional laws don’t allow killing of a pregnant female or a bull which is associated with her, if you accidentally kill one of them it will fall on its chest.
This is a clear message to the hunter that he has just killed a wrong prey and laws and customs to abandon the carcass or got brutal punishments from ancestors.
The Ikizu also believe that if you accidentally kill a wrong Cape eland it will destroy medicinal fat material called Isomusyi which surround its heart.
Scholars say the said symbiotic relationship between Cape Elands and Wasps in Serengeti national park and Msanjesi game reserve in Mtwara need scientific research.
The Cape eland is also available in Mikumi, Udzungwa, Ruaha, Saadani, Katavi, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Rubondo, Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti national park.
On their side, Thomson’s gazelles are mainly found in Mkomazi national park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, Grumeti Game Reserve, Ikongoro Game Reserve, Loliondo Game Reserve and Serengeti national park.
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