# Sitatunga (*Tragelaphus spekii*) The sitatunga is a special type of antelope that loves to live in wetlands. With long, thin legs and a shaggy coat, they are great swimmers and can hide in tall grasses. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Sitatunga](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sitatunga_%281%29.JPG&width=800) Photo: Patinowik, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sitatunga_%281%29.JPG) ## Appearance The Sitatunga has shaggy, water-repellent fur, varying from reddish-brown in females to grayish-brown in males, often with white stripes. Its most striking features are its long, splayed hooves, perfectly adapted for muddy terrain, and the males' impressive spiral horns. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Bovidae - **Genus:** Tragelaphus ## Interesting facts - Male Sitatungas use their awesome spiral horns for fighting other males! - Sitatungas can actually sleep while floating in the water, totally hidden! - Their hooves can spread out like snowshoes, helping them walk on squishy mud! - They are so good at swimming, they can cross wide rivers easily! ## Special abilities - **Marsh Marvel:** Sitatunga has splayed, elongated hooves that help them walk over soft, muddy ground and dense vegetation without sinking. - **Submerged Sneak:** Sitatunga can submerge almost entirely underwater, breathing through its nose like a snorkel to hide from predators. - **Waterproof Wardrobe:** Sitatunga has shaggy, oily fur that repels water, keeping them warm and dry even after long swims. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 135-170 cm - **Weight:** 40-120 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 225-240 days ## Diet & Feeding Sitatungas are plant-eaters that munch on juicy leaves, grasses, and shoots found in their watery homes. - **Primary Foods:** papyrus, reeds, sedges, aquatic grasses, leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Lions hunt Sitatunga near water sources. - **Eaten by:** Nile Crocodile (*Crocodylus niloticus*) — Crocodiles are ambush predators in Sitatunga's watery habitat. - **Depends on:** [Papyrus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/papyrus) (*Cyperus papyrus*) — Provides crucial food and dense cover in their wetland habitat. - **Depends on:** [Common Reed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-reed) (*Phragmites australis*) — Offers shelter and food in shallow water and marshy areas. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always observe animals from a distance and never try to touch or chase them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sitatunga? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Sitatunga? 135-170 cm ### How much does Sitatunga weigh? 40-120 kg ### How long does Sitatunga live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Sitatunga move? 50 km/h ### What does Sitatunga eat? Sitatungas are plant-eaters that munch on juicy leaves, grasses, and shoots found in their watery homes. ### Where is Sitatunga usually found? Wetlands ### How does Sitatunga hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/birmingham-wildlife-conservation-park) — England, GB · Zoo - [NaturZoo Rheine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturzoo-rheine) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Sitatunga: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sitatunga)