Upemba Lechwe: Super rare African antelope photographed for the first time
A super rare antelope has been photographed by conservationists for the very first time.The animal - called a Upemba Lechwe - was spotted in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in central Africa.Researchers say that unlike other antelopes in the area, Upemba Lechwe are known for their lack of dark stripes on their legs and lack of dark patches on their shoulders.It's thought there are only around 100 of the species living in the wild.
What did experts find?
The rare Upemba Lechwe were spotted by wildlife researchers during an aerial survey of the Kamalondo Depression, an area in the south of the Congo.According to the study, published in the African Journal of Ecology, this was the first attempt to count the species in more than 50 years.Experts say they spotted just ten of the antelopes, which suggests that their population is below 100.However, one of the researchers was able to quickly take a picture of one of the animals through the window of the aeroplane before it ran away. Manuel Weber, who was part of the team and led the survey, told the BBC it was "extremely nerve-wracking" but that he was "relieved" to get the image."It stood still for just a couple of seconds before running," Mr Weber explained.He added that the area where the Upemba Lechwe were found is "a magical place in terms of biodiversity."Conservationists say that a number of issues, including increasing human population, fishing and hunting, put the local ecology "at risk" and warned that the rare antelopes will "vanish" without "urgent protection".
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