Giant eland

Giant eland
T. d. derbianus Senegal
T. d. gigas at the Cincinnati Zoo
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Bovinae
Genus:	Taurotragus
Species:	T. derbianus
Binomial name
Taurotragus derbianus (J.E. Gray, 1847)
Subspecies
T. d. derbianus T. d. gigas
Distribution of giant eland subspecies:   Western giant eland   Eastern giant eland
Synonyms
Species synonymy[2] Tragelaphus derbianus (J.E. Gray, 1847) Boselaphus derbianus J.E. Gray, 1847 Tragelaphus colini (de Rochebrune, 1883) Tragelaphus typicus Rowland Ward, 1910 Tragelaphus gigas (Heuglin, 1863) Tragelaphus cameroonensis Millais, 1924 Tragelaphus congolanus W. Rothschild, 1913 Tragelaphus derbii (Johnston, 1884)

The giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus), also known as the Lord Derby's eland and greater eland, is an open-forest and savanna antelope. A species of the family Bovidae and genus Taurotragus, it was described in 1847 by John Edward Gray. The giant eland is the largest species of antelope, with a body length ranging from 220–290 cm (87–114 in). There are two subspecies: T. d. derbianus and T. d. gigas.

The giant eland is a herbivore, eating grasses, foliage and branches. They usually form small herds consisting of 15–25 members, both males and females. Giant elands are not territorial, and have large home ranges. They are naturally alert and wary, which makes them difficult to approach and observe. They can run at up to 70 km/h (43 mph) and use this speed as a defence against predators. Mating occurs throughout the year but peaks in the wet season. They mostly inhabit broad-leafed savannas, woodlands and glades.

The giant eland is native to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan. It is no longer present in The Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo. It can also be found in the Jos wildlife park in Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Uganda. The subspecies have been listed with different conservation statuses by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).