Limpopo bushbuck vs Eastern African Bushbuck

Huntforever

Huntforever

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What’s the difference in appearance between the limpopo and Eastern African Bushbucks?
 
About 30k in day fees.

East African:
ragelaphus scriptus delameri

Has also been called Masai bushbuck; however, that name should be restricted to the massaicus race of northern Tanzania. The scientific name is for Lord Delamere (1870-1931), a political leader of British settlers in Kenya.

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 28-36 inches (71-91 cm). Weight 100-140 pounds (45-63 kg).

A larger bushbuck, brown in color, with spots rather than stripes. There is considerable variation in color and markings from different parts of the distribution range, and also among individuals. Bushbucks from mountain forests in Kenya (delameri) are dark brown with indistinct white markings. Tanzanian animals (massaicus) are paler with distinct rows of white spots on flanks and scattered spots on hindquarters. Females are more brightly colored and have more distinct markings.

DISTRIBUTION Kenya, except in the northwest; southern Somalia extending into southeastern Ethiopia along the Juba and Webi Shebeli rivers; and Tanzania.

TAXONOMIC NOTES Includes brunneus (west of Mt. Kenya), delameri (northwest of Mt. Kenya), eldomae (Mau Forest), fasciatus (Juba and Webi Shebeli valleys in southern Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia), haywoodi (Nyeri), insularis, massaicus (northern Tanzania), meruensis (Mt. Meru), olivaceus (eastern Kenya), reidae (Nakuru), and tjaderi (Nakuru), with delameri Pocock, 1900 having priority.

Limpopo:
Tragelaphus scriptus roualeyni

Named for hunter and author Roualeyn Gordon-Cumming, its European "discoverer in" 1850.

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 28-30 inches (71-76 cm). Weight 100-120 pounds (41-55 kg).

A medium-sized bushbuck, brownish gray in color, without stripes and with fewer spots (sometimes very few) than the Chobe bushbuck.

DISTRIBUTION The Limpopo River drainage in eastern Botswana; the Limpopo and Sabi river drainages in southern and southeastern Zimbabwe; adjacent parts of southern Mozambique; and the Transvaal lowveld and northeastern Zululand in South Africa.
 
wesheltonj said:
About 30k in day fees.

East African:
ragelaphus scriptus delameri

Has also been called Masai bushbuck; however, that name should be restricted to the massaicus race of northern Tanzania. The scientific name is for Lord Delamere (1870-1931), a political leader of British settlers in Kenya.

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 28-36 inches (71-91 cm). Weight 100-140 pounds (45-63 kg).

A larger bushbuck, brown in color, with spots rather than stripes. There is considerable variation in color and markings from different parts of the distribution range, and also among individuals. Bushbucks from mountain forests in Kenya (delameri) are dark brown with indistinct white markings. Tanzanian animals (massaicus) are paler with distinct rows of white spots on flanks and scattered spots on hindquarters. Females are more brightly colored and have more distinct markings.

DISTRIBUTION Kenya, except in the northwest; southern Somalia extending into southeastern Ethiopia along the Juba and Webi Shebeli rivers; and Tanzania.

TAXONOMIC NOTES Includes brunneus (west of Mt. Kenya), delameri (northwest of Mt. Kenya), eldomae (Mau Forest), fasciatus (Juba and Webi Shebeli valleys in southern Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia), haywoodi (Nyeri), insularis, massaicus (northern Tanzania), meruensis (Mt. Meru), olivaceus (eastern Kenya), reidae (Nakuru), and tjaderi (Nakuru), with delameri Pocock, 1900 having priority.

Limpopo:
Tragelaphus scriptus roualeyni

Named for hunter and author Roualeyn Gordon-Cumming, its European "discoverer in" 1850.

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 28-30 inches (71-76 cm). Weight 100-120 pounds (41-55 kg).

A medium-sized bushbuck, brownish gray in color, without stripes and with fewer spots (sometimes very few) than the Chobe bushbuck.

DISTRIBUTION The Limpopo River drainage in eastern Botswana; the Limpopo and Sabi river drainages in southern and southeastern Zimbabwe; adjacent parts of southern Mozambique; and the Transvaal lowveld and northeastern Zululand in South Africa.
Click to expand...
That was my first thought as well. There are East African bushbuck available in Uganda as well at considerably more affordable pricing than Tanzania. I really can’t tell a lot of difference between Limpopo, chobe, East African bushbuck besides some coloration differences. Uganda however has Nile and East African bushbuck. The Nile is smaller body and more straight horns similar to harnessed bushbuck from west Africa. The East African is similar in body and horns to southern bushbucks.
 
Some of the bushbuck in the mountains of Masailand are almost completely jet black with white spots and markings. I like hunting bushbuck anywhere, and that is my favorite place to hunt them. They are on the shorter Tanzania license now, as of about 2020, making the slightly less ridiculously expensive.
 
"The Poor Man's Bongo" . . . uhh, unless you're hunting it in TZ ;)
 
375Fox said:
That was my first thought as well. There are East African bushbuck available in Uganda as well at considerably more affordable pricing than Tanzania. I really can’t tell a lot of difference between Limpopo, chobe, East African bushbuck besides some coloration differences. Uganda however has Nile and East African bushbuck. The Nile is smaller body and more straight horns similar to harnessed bushbuck from west Africa. The East African is similar in body and horns to southern bushbucks.
Click to expand...

Not sure if this is of interest, but of the 5 types/subspecies I have seen (by the country’s-region I have seen them in) only the Harnessed Bushbuck was strikingly different from the others.

Here are some Limpopo Bushbuck

IMG_0774.jpeg


Compared to the much smaller but much prettier Harnessed Bushbuck.

IMG_0772.jpeg
 
wesheltonj said:
About 30k in day fees.

East African:
ragelaphus scriptus delameri

Has also been called Masai bushbuck; however, that name should be restricted to the massaicus race of northern Tanzania. The scientific name is for Lord Delamere (1870-1931), a political leader of British settlers in Kenya.

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 28-36 inches (71-91 cm). Weight 100-140 pounds (45-63 kg).

A larger bushbuck, brown in color, with spots rather than stripes. There is considerable variation in color and markings from different parts of the distribution range, and also among individuals. Bushbucks from mountain forests in Kenya (delameri) are dark brown with indistinct white markings. Tanzanian animals (massaicus) are paler with distinct rows of white spots on flanks and scattered spots on hindquarters. Females are more brightly colored and have more distinct markings.

DISTRIBUTION Kenya, except in the northwest; southern Somalia extending into southeastern Ethiopia along the Juba and Webi Shebeli rivers; and Tanzania.

TAXONOMIC NOTES Includes brunneus (west of Mt. Kenya), delameri (northwest of Mt. Kenya), eldomae (Mau Forest), fasciatus (Juba and Webi Shebeli valleys in southern Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia), haywoodi (Nyeri), insularis, massaicus (northern Tanzania), meruensis (Mt. Meru), olivaceus (eastern Kenya), reidae (Nakuru), and tjaderi (Nakuru), with delameri Pocock, 1900 having priority.

Limpopo:
Tragelaphus scriptus roualeyni

Named for hunter and author Roualeyn Gordon-Cumming, its European "discoverer in" 1850.

DESCRIPTION Shoulder height 28-30 inches (71-76 cm). Weight 100-120 pounds (41-55 kg).

A medium-sized bushbuck, brownish gray in color, without stripes and with fewer spots (sometimes very few) than the Chobe bushbuck.

DISTRIBUTION The Limpopo River drainage in eastern Botswana; the Limpopo and Sabi river drainages in southern and southeastern Zimbabwe; adjacent parts of southern Mozambique; and the Transvaal lowveld and northeastern Zululand in South Africa.
Click to expand...
I’ve already read that lol. That was pulled from google AI Lol
 
There’s doesn’t seem to be a definite or defined difference between the two species
 
Does anyone have pictures of different species they have taken?
 
Huntforever said:
Does anyone have pictures of different species they have taken?
Click to expand...
Search google images. The country it’s taken from or outfitter is based in will generally tell you the subspecies. The search function here for “bushbuck” turns up a lot too. Many photos labeled with the country.
 
Last edited:
Chobe bushbuck at Takeri in Zambia.
They are plentiful

20241004_180147.jpg
20241002_093917.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why are you asking the question? Are you debating about booking a hunt in Uganda or Tanzania? Or more just curious?
 
One way of seeing the differences...

gameBushbuckFamilies.jpg
 
375Fox said:
Search google images. The country it’s taken from or outfitter is based in will generally tell you the subspecies. The search function here for “bushbuck” turns up a lot too. Many photos labeled with the country.
Click to expand...
I tired google search and wasn’t impressed but I also tried on here but will try again
 
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