Kudu in Full Flight - Stitched Nguni Hide Artwork

Feel the power of this surge extending a graceful yet breathtaking arc through the air, denying success to danger.

The elegance of the shy Kudu belies its power that can propel it up to 3.5 metres if necessary. In real terms that is high enough to clear a game viewing vehicle.

The mystical significance of this beautiful creature was first recognised by the San people, the oldest inhabitants of South Africa, featuring it in their rock art and rituals, and naming it Kudu. As folklore would have it, the name, pronounced Koodoo, is derived from the gentle rhythmical sound of its hooves on the ground as it lopes away.

Trace the spiral curves of those horns and you will follow six feet of striking magnificence, setting the Kudu apart from other antelope. These impressive defenders can also present a challenge when fleeing through the thicket, causing the kudu to arch its head back with its horns parallel to its shoulders. In this way they are less likely to become entangled in the growth.

Legends famously add vibrancy to what is before us, and so too with those about the Kudu. After completing the creation of all animals and filling in their beautiful shades of colours, the Creator used his last remaining dab of paint to underline the Kudu’s eyes in white, saying: “And this is for you to make you the beautiful of all the creatures.”