Taurotragus oryx Shoulder height 150–175cm. Weight 450–900kg.
Africa's largest antelope, the eland is light brown in colour, sometimes with a few faint white vertical stripes. Relatively short horns and a large dewlap accentuate its somewhat bovine appearance. It was once widely distributed in East and southern Africa, though the population has now been severely depleted. Small herds of eland frequent grasslands and light woodlands, often fleeing at the slightest provocation. (They have long been hunted for their excellent meat, so perhaps this is not surprising.)

Eland are very rare in the Okavango area and although they probably occur throughout Chobe, they are seldom seen. Better areas to see them are in the Kalahari's salt pans or, better still, the central Kalahari. They are opportunist browsers and grazers, eating fruit, berries, seed pods and leaves as well as green grass after the rains, and roots and tubers when times are lean.

They run slowly, though can trot for great distances and jump exceedingly well. Eland have a very special significance for the San people – illustrated by the highlight of the famous 'van der Post panel' at the Tsodilo Hills (see page 376), which is a painting of a particularly magnificent eland bull.