Topi? Or 2?

• by chipo

  This one has me totally confused. It looks like a topi, but what is that leg dangling in the air? ![Topi?] (http://talk.snapshotserengeti.org/#/subjects/ASG000bwe5)

  Posted January 10, 2013 6:02 PM

• by dms246 moderator

  I don't think that's a topi - the topi doesn't have white patches like that antelope has, and the tail there looks too "fluffy" for a topi - but at the moment I'm not entirely sure what species it is. My first thought was "waterbuck", because of the rich chestnut colour, but I don't see any evidence that the waterbuck has those white patches either. I'll keep looking.

  That aside, though, what we've got is an antelope with its rump towards us, its right hind leg lifted up and its head stretched round under that leg so it can smell/lick/inspect its own butt.

  Posted January 10, 2013 6:53 PM

• by dms246 moderator

  Aha! Found it - it's a bushbuck. 😃 I think I've only seen one other photo of one of these.

  Posted January 10, 2013 7:00 PM

• by lucycawte moderator

  Yep its a male bushbuck cleaning himself

  Posted January 10, 2013 8:17 PM

• by chipo

  I believe you but still don;t see it.

  Posted January 10, 2013 8:24 PM

• by dms246 moderator in response to chipo's comment.

  Heheh! If you try and ignore the head for a bit, you can maybe see you've got an antelope facing away from you, with one hind leg raised and stretched forward. Now imagine the antelope curling its neck around towards its rear, ducking its head under the raised hind leg. Does that do it...?

  Posted January 10, 2013 9:35 PM

• by chipo

  Aha, so what I thought was the frontside of the hindlegs are actually the forelegs! thanks for clarifying.

  Posted January 11, 2013 11:31 AM

• by Envirogirl667 in response to dms246's comment.

  I agree, and its cleaning itself, which is why we couldn't really tell. :l

  Posted March 9, 2013 8:30 PM