South Luangwa’s Phantoms

SOUTH LUANGWA’S Young female white kudu in the green grass.

By: Mahina Perrot Photos: Bernhard Thole/Phil Hartell

The first time Fannuel Banda and his guests caught a glimpse of a white kudu in South Luangwa National Park in early November 2016, they couldn’t believe their eyes. As one of The Bushcamp Company’s senior guides, Fannuel has had his share of remarkable sightings over the years, yet he was astonished to come across this rare animal.

“This little white kudu was standing in thick bush between two of our camps, Zungulila Bushcamp, and Kapamba Bushcamp, across the Kapamba River,” Fannuel enthused. “It was a young female. She hadn’t been rejected by her mother and was still part of the family. She was completely white, with very pink ears and a pink nose. I had never seen anything like her before!” According to Conservation South Luangwa’s vet, Dr. Mwamba Sichande, the cause can sometimes be albinism; a condition resulting from absence of melanin which gives colour to the skin, hair and eyes. Albinism occurs in mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Sometimes pale colouring may also result from a partial loss of pigmentation (melanin), known as leucism. “This causes the animal to have white or patchy skin and hair, but pigmentation in the eyes is not affected”, Dr Mwamba explained.

Fannuel couldn’t get close enough to see if the white kudu’s eyes were red – the distinguishing feature of albinism. The white kudu was also spotted in December by Suzyo Zimba, another senior guide at the Bushcamp Company, who reported that she was getting bigger and stronger. Unfortunately, Suzyo could not identify the eye colour from the distance either. However, he was excited to show his guests the

Estimated to be approximately four months old when monitored in late December, the kudu was still with her family and seemed to thriving despite her conspicuous colouring. “The majority of white animals tend to die at a very young age,” Fannuel remarked. The guides explained that this kudu’s pale colouring will make her an easier target for predators but they look forward to tracking her again when the camps reopen after the rains. “It is very difficult for these animals as they stand out more, especially at night or under the moonlight,” Suzyo explained.

Whilst rare, this is not the first sighting of a white kudu. In fact, several years ago, in the late 1990s, a young female was reported near Chichele Hill, in an area not far from Kuyenda Bushcamp. Peter Zulu, who has been working as a guide for more than 45 years, recalls the sighting, when he saw clearly that the animal’s eyes Obviously, being white often a disadvantage for animals, as it “makes them stand out and more visible to predators”, Ian Salisbury, Mfuwe Lodge General Manager and experienced guide, pointed out. However, although it is not common, Ian has also seen leucistic baby baboons and guinea-fowls, as well as an albino white-tailed mongoose.

A very pale male lion, with a golden mane and light brown eyes is also regularly seen near Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia. There were also reports in July 2014 of a rare fully-grown white male kudu in Chobe National Park in Botswana, giving hope that South Luangwa’s female may reach maturity. While Fannuel and Suzyo don’t know if the young white kudu has survived in the wild, they both remain positive and look forward to tracking her again this coming year.