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Sitatunga
Paignton Zoo is home to four sitatungas, including two males and three females.
The group arrived from Axe Valley Wildlife Park in 2026 and can be found exploring their purpose-built habitat within the zoo's Wetlands area.
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Artiodactyla
Family:
Bovidae
About the sitatunga
The sitatunga is a secretive antelope specially adapted for life in the wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It inhabits swamps, marshes, floodplains, and reed beds, where dense vegetation provides shelter from predators. Sitatungas are herbivores, feeding on reeds, grasses, aquatic plants, leaves, and shoots, using their long, splayed hooves to move with ease across soft, muddy ground.
These shy animals are most active during the early morning and evening and are excellent swimmers, often retreating into water when threatened. Males are larger than females and develop impressive spiral horns, while their waterproof, shaggy coats help them thrive in wet environments.
Conservation
Although sitatungas remain widespread across much of sub-Saharan Africa, some local populations are declining due to wetland drainage, habitat loss, hunting, and increasing human disturbance. Protecting wetlands across countries such as Zambia, Uganda, and Botswana is essential for the long-term survival of this unique antelope.