Kudu , common name for either of two antelopes that inhabit forested areas of Africa. The greater kudu is one of the largest antelopes, measuring 1 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 5 ft) high at the shoulder. The animal is reddish-brown to pale gray, with a longitudinal white stripe along the middle of its back and several transverse white stripes on each side. The male has long, spiraling horns, sometimes more than 1 m (4 ft) in length; the female is hornless. Greater kudus, found in the dry forests and dense brush from Chad to Somalia and South Africa, are timid, gentle animals and feed on leaves, fruit, and grass. The lesser kudu is similar in color to the greater, but measures only 90 to 105 cm (35 to 41 in) at the shoulder. This animal is found in dry, thick brushland in eastern Africa .