The kob: Uganda’s graceful animal
Oct 01, 2007
THE awe inspiring beauty of Uganda will leave a mark on every soul that sets foot on this country’s rich soils. Even though her people seems oblivious to it, the unending stretches of greenery, the rich soils which produce two bumper harvests yearly and the all year round sunshine can, indeed, onl
By Harriette Onyalla
THE awe inspiring beauty of Uganda will leave a mark on every soul that sets foot on this country’s rich soils. Even though her people seems oblivious to it, the unending stretches of greenery, the rich soils which produce two bumper harvests yearly and the all year round sunshine can, indeed, only be the reason for their smiles, their warmth which quickly turns strangers into brothers, their huge hearts in welcoming people to share in the blessings of their country.
Animals too have embraced this warmth and exude it with abundance. Just over a two hours drive out of the capital city Kampala, will swing you from the hurry and hype of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) into a sanctuary surrounded with animals some of which can only be found in this pearl of Africa.
There, the Uganda Kob will come alive from the country’s Court of Arms to the savannah grasslands. Indeed, the Uganda kob (Kobus kob thomasi), is one of a kind.
The … animal is different from the White-eared Kob (Kobus Kob leucotis), found in Sudan and Ethiopia, although both usually migrate.
This animal can often be seen in the Murchison Falls and the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
So your safari will have a bonus of standing by the Murchison Falls where the entire fury of the River Nile squeezes through a six metre-wide gorge, getting violent and thundering and spewing misty foam as it speeds off to the sea.
But the gracefulness of the Uganda Kob is just as captivating. Its coat is smooth, shiny and reddish brown. Its face is adorned with white markings that ring around the kob’s eyes.
Head for Queen Elizabeth National Park, three hours drive away from Kampala and get to watch packs of between five and 40. Kobs move in groups of either females and calves or just males, with the dominant male marking its territory by whistling. The length of time he may hold his territory can vary from just days to months. Â
The inside of the kob’s ears and its throat bib also bear this striking white. With a stripe of black running down its legs, while a white stripe runs down the insides of its legs. The Kob is gorgeous, it is a proud owner of a bushy tail with sparkling white underneath. This tail has a jet-black tip.
But the kob’s crowning glory is its ‘S’ shaped horns, which are found only in males. The horns bend sharply backwards, then curve up. Â
Good enough, the kob is most active in the morning and late afternoon, leaving visitors with a good choice of whether to view them before the sun gets hot or to enjoy the cool of the afternoon in their company. This animal avoids the heat of the day.
Many tour companies in Uganda offer amazing safari packages to these destinations. Winfred Nanziri of Great Lakes Safaris says a three-day package ranges from between $390 (sh686,800) to $650 (sh,1,144,650), depending on the number of people on the safari and whether they want to stay in a safari lodge or go outdoor camping.
So take time off that busy conference schedule and return to nature, only then can you say you like Winston Churchill remark you have been to Uganda, the pearl of Africa, indeed, the pearl of Africa.
THE awe inspiring beauty of Uganda will leave a mark on every soul that sets foot on this country’s rich soils. Even though her people seems oblivious to it, the unending stretches of greenery, the rich soils which produce two bumper harvests yearly and the all year round sunshine can, indeed, only be the reason for their smiles, their warmth which quickly turns strangers into brothers, their huge hearts in welcoming people to share in the blessings of their country.
Animals too have embraced this warmth and exude it with abundance. Just over a two hours drive out of the capital city Kampala, will swing you from the hurry and hype of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) into a sanctuary surrounded with animals some of which can only be found in this pearl of Africa.
There, the Uganda Kob will come alive from the country’s Court of Arms to the savannah grasslands. Indeed, the Uganda kob (Kobus kob thomasi), is one of a kind.
The … animal is different from the White-eared Kob (Kobus Kob leucotis), found in Sudan and Ethiopia, although both usually migrate.
This animal can often be seen in the Murchison Falls and the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
So your safari will have a bonus of standing by the Murchison Falls where the entire fury of the River Nile squeezes through a six metre-wide gorge, getting violent and thundering and spewing misty foam as it speeds off to the sea.
But the gracefulness of the Uganda Kob is just as captivating. Its coat is smooth, shiny and reddish brown. Its face is adorned with white markings that ring around the kob’s eyes.
Head for Queen Elizabeth National Park, three hours drive away from Kampala and get to watch packs of between five and 40. Kobs move in groups of either females and calves or just males, with the dominant male marking its territory by whistling. The length of time he may hold his territory can vary from just days to months. Â
The inside of the kob’s ears and its throat bib also bear this striking white. With a stripe of black running down its legs, while a white stripe runs down the insides of its legs. The Kob is gorgeous, it is a proud owner of a bushy tail with sparkling white underneath. This tail has a jet-black tip.
But the kob’s crowning glory is its ‘S’ shaped horns, which are found only in males. The horns bend sharply backwards, then curve up. Â
Good enough, the kob is most active in the morning and late afternoon, leaving visitors with a good choice of whether to view them before the sun gets hot or to enjoy the cool of the afternoon in their company. This animal avoids the heat of the day.
Many tour companies in Uganda offer amazing safari packages to these destinations. Winfred Nanziri of Great Lakes Safaris says a three-day package ranges from between $390 (sh686,800) to $650 (sh,1,144,650), depending on the number of people on the safari and whether they want to stay in a safari lodge or go outdoor camping.
So take time off that busy conference schedule and return to nature, only then can you say you like Winston Churchill remark you have been to Uganda, the pearl of Africa, indeed, the pearl of Africa.