Comments on: Eland antelopes click their knees to prove their dominance http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/ Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:00:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Garth Thompson http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/#comment-1489 Garth Thompson Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:55:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/#comment-1489 For over 30 years i have listened to the many theories that abound on the clicking that emanates from middle aged to old male eland. As yet i have not heard this sound from female eland. Until last week i also held various theories, 15 years ago on a game farm i once followed a bull that was quite tame and the clicking sound emanated every time the hind foot struck the ground, i theorised that it was a ligament clicking over the bones above the hoof on the hind leg. Then i saw a bull walking side on and the sound is such a metallic hoof like click that i was delighted to relise that it was the animal 'Over Reaching' something quite common among horses, when the hind hoof over reaches and touches the back of the front hoof, the two hooves striking together making the distinctive clicking sound. Horses r sometimes fitted with rubber boots on the front foot to prevent the hind foot cutting into the back of the front hoof, in the fleshy area just above the hoof. Two weeks ago at the private camp site i have been using in Mana Pools National Park a middle aged eland bull has taken up residence and as u can see from the attached pictures he is quite tame and allows one to within a few metres. While watching him feed we noticed that when he lifted his front foot or feet to change position and the hind hooves hadn’t moved at all the clicking sound emanated. So it was definitely coming from the front leg and not over reaching. As i have always followed from behind i presumed the sound came when the hind foot struck the ground, well while the hind foot is striking the ground, so at this same instant the front foot is lifting. I then spent some time in front of the animal from about 5m, it was interesting to c that the weight of the head, thick neck and shoulders splayed the front hooves to about one inch (2.5cm) wide and when it lifted the front foot the splayed hooves clicked together with the clicking sound of a castanet we r all so familiar with. So in my book this seems to be the reason we hear the clicking sound from eland bulls. Any other input would be most welcome. For over 30 years i have listened to the many theories that abound on the clicking that emanates from middle aged to old male eland. As yet i have not heard this sound from female eland. Until last week i also held various theories, 15 years ago on a game farm i once followed a bull that was quite tame and the clicking sound emanated every time the hind foot struck the ground, i theorised that it was a ligament clicking over the bones above the hoof on the hind leg. Then i saw a bull walking side on and the sound is such a metallic hoof like click that i was delighted to relise that it was the animal ‘Over Reaching’ something quite common among horses, when the hind hoof over reaches and touches the back of the front hoof, the two hooves striking together making the distinctive clicking sound. Horses r sometimes fitted with rubber boots on the front foot to prevent the hind foot cutting into the back of the front hoof, in the fleshy area just above the hoof.

Two weeks ago at the private camp site i have been using in Mana Pools National Park a middle aged eland bull has taken up residence and as u can see from the attached pictures he is quite tame and allows one to within a few metres. While watching him feed we noticed that when he lifted his front foot or feet to change position and the hind hooves hadn’t moved at all the clicking sound emanated. So it was definitely coming from the front leg and not over reaching.

As i have always followed from behind i presumed the sound came when the hind foot struck the ground, well while the hind foot is striking the ground, so at this same instant the front foot is lifting. I then spent some time in front of the animal from about 5m, it was interesting to c that the weight of the head, thick neck and shoulders splayed the front hooves to about one inch (2.5cm) wide and when it lifted the front foot the splayed hooves clicked together with the clicking sound of a castanet we r all so familiar with. So in my book this seems to be the reason we hear the clicking sound from eland bulls. Any other input would be most welcome.

]]> By: Katie Brakora http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/#comment-1488 Katie Brakora Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:20:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/#comment-1488 Great post! My first visit to your blog - props for your quality writing. Elands are one of my specialties (well, mainly their skulls so far); it's always a joy to see others taking interest in these awesome animals. Antelopes in general are, IMHO, quite underrepresented in popular writing on organismal biology, in relation to their specioseness and coolness factor. :o) Great post! My first visit to your blog – props for your quality writing.
Elands are one of my specialties (well, mainly their skulls so far); it’s always a joy to see others taking interest in these awesome animals. Antelopes in general are, IMHO, quite underrepresented in popular writing on organismal biology, in relation to their specioseness and coolness factor. :o )

]]> By: Robert V Sobczak http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/#comment-1487 Robert V Sobczak Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:48:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2008/11/04/eland-antelopes-click-their-knees-to-prove-their-dominance/#comment-1487 The inner workings of what it takes to be an alpha male, if you go from one species to the next, there seems that there is always a price to be paid. We are not in control of the forces that drive us ... and that goes for every creature great and small. The inner workings of what it takes to be an alpha male, if you go from one species to the next, there seems that there is always a price to be paid. We are not in control of the forces that drive us … and that goes for every creature great and small.

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