A baby sitatunga born recently at Zoological Society of London's (ZSL) Whipsnade Zoo. Photo courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.

The sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) is a swamp-dwelling antelope that makes its home in Central and Southern Africa, including the Congo Rainforest. They have waterproof coats and often take to the water to help avoid predators. The sitatunga is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Loss of habitat and wetlands are the primary threat to this species.

This allows the animal to accurately identify the sound sources. The horns on the males are backward and wedge-shaped. This, coupled with the lowering of the head, allows them to easily pass through large vegetation.

Females range from 72 cm to 90 cm, and males range from 81 cm to 116 cm. Weight is between 24kg and 57kg for women and 76kg to 119kg for men. Sitatunga has water-resistant fur. Antelopes differ in colors depending on the environment. Young people in red, red chestnut color. As men grow, they turn gray or dark brown.

Sitatungas live in swamps and swampy areas. They can also live on both water and land. Sitatungas grow with extensive and long-lasting vegetation. Moreover, they build small houses near the water in the savannah. Sitatungas is unique to Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon among other countries. They also live in the swampy regions of South Africa and Central Africa. Cleaning people's habitats is a threat to Sitatunga's survival. Changes in water levels also affect vegetation and thus reduce their food.

Sitatungas use most of their time for nutrition. They are usually active at night and early in the morning after dawn. Sitatungas are based on beds of reeds and flat areas on warm sunny days. However, they can also walk in large groups from time to time.Sitatungas have no limits. Men lock the horns with others and destroy the plants using their horns. At night sitatungas can start coughing or barking and others are involved. This sound spreads to the swamp.