Dr. Hoof Stock

The following are highlights from the field notes about the waterbuck, specifically the two males and their interaction with the rest of the herd. They were observed at the Far East end inside the Juniper Loop. Approx. 19 waterbuck were all together. (Key: L-Lucifer, T-Toby, WB-waterbuck)

8:29am- L mounting attempt with untagged female. Female stood with tail to the right. L loses interest.

8:45am- L displaced T by approach. T moved near the females L was sniffing. L approach another untagged female, does nostril licking, following, and horn tap. Female moved away.

8:59am- L approach female. Female does a head shake and head toss and trotted away. Female stands in urination position, but no urine while L approaching from behind.

9:20am- L approach untagged female. Female urinates and cont. grazing. L does flehmen and he urinates and walk at the same time. The female held her tail to the right while grazing and L sniffed her inguinal. Female does a head shake and stepped away. L follows and places his chin on her back by her rump. Female stepped away again and L started grazing.

At this time, the 19 waterbuck are in two groups about 40 yards away. The group inside the juniper loop are a few females and mothers with calves. The other group is L, T, and several female grazing East of juniper loop.

9:41am- L does flehmen with uriner of untagged female.

9:43am- L follows a female that approach the herd. L sniffed her rear and the female moved away.

10:00am- L approached an untagged female from before and does flehmen. The female moved away and L followed and sniffed her inguinal from the side. L does a foreleg kick and the female does a head shake and trotted away. L does not follow her.

10:22am- L approach the same female and she does a head flick and trotted away. L following with grass hanging from his mouth. The female repeated her behavior. L walked away.

10:25am- Y63(female) approaches L as he is walking towards herd inside juniper loop. She turned away and followed him. Y63 mounted L and she does a foreleg kick and chin rub on his rear. L not interested. This is about 20 minutes long of her courting L. L laid down.

10:53- L got up and Y63 followed him. Y63 followed L while he sniffed the rear of another female. Y63 tail was held at a 45 degree angle the entire time I saw her. L laid in the trees and then out of view.

11:15am- Orange tag calf nursing from mother without tag for about 20 minutes inside the Juniper Loop without vertical or horizontal cover in the beginning.

1:09pm- L slept near y63 and y58.

1:13pm- L up and followed female. The female urinated and L licking his nose. They stood side by side, but rear to head.

1:15pm- Fallow deer approached and L is displaced and out of view into the trees.

1:42pm- T sniffed y63 and does foreleg kick, however was low intensity. Y63 stands and does a head flick.

1:42pm- T does courtship behavior and attempted mounting repeatedly with y63. y63 always took one step during mounting attempts.

1:50pm- T followed y63 and y63 turned and sniffed T. More mounting attempts and then parallel standing. Head to head. T does a horn tab and rub, then nose to nose touch.

Video footage of Y63 are the first we have showing exact behavior of waterbuck in estrus.

Hour and half before sunset. Most of the waterbuck in the open pasture East of Juniper Loop as one enters that main pasture.

5:51pm- L grazing then followed a female. She ran and L ran as well. Female drank water and L does a horn tab. The female ran away and L walked to follow her in the distance.

I did not see Toby until the sun was down and did not see y63 since earlier that day.

6:01pm- L approached same female, and she ran. L lost interest and grazes.

6:17pm- L courting another female. She stepped away. L does flehmen to another female near and horn tab. She moved and L started grazing.

6:59pm- L following a female and does a horn tab. She moved away. L sniffed two females and one female does a head shake and ran off.

Reneé Jones