Heron meets antelope, eye-to-eye

Red Lechwe antelope, Kobus leche, were grazing amongst the water meadows by the Khwai River. One male:

and a group of females:

They’re specialized for marshy wetlands, and their lower legs have water-repellent oils that help them run fast in knee-deep water. As a result, that is their refuge if predators threaten.

Only the males have horns:

As we watched, a goliath heron flew in:

and landed just behind the lechwe.

The lechwe stand about three feet at the shoulder, and the goliath heron (the world’s largest heron) is up to five feet, so they can look each other in the eye.

He was displaying, though we couldn’t see a nearby female:

Off he strutted; hope springs eternal.

PS Red Lechwe are now categorized as Near Threatened by the IUCN. They are found in discontinuous marshy areas in Northern Botswana and its neighboring countries.