Waterbuck arrive at Christchurch wildlife park

A pair of endangered Waterbuck is the latest addition to Orana Wildlife Park's animal collection.

The animals were transferred to the Christchurch park recently from Werribee Open Range Zoo in Australia.

Staff are excited by the prospect the female may have arrived pregnant to a different male and are hopeful this will reinvigorate the breeding patterns at the park.

They want a big sized herd to be built up at the park.

Animal manager Ian Adams said they had been planning to source new Waterbuck for the past three or four years as their herd had reduced to one female.

She was euthanased in March this year because of chronic arthritis at the age of 20 years.

"They are striking animals with a distinctive white ring around their rump and the male grows impressive horns. Waterbuck can be a challenge to manage as they are big stroppy animals ? which I think adds to their appeal,'' he said.

Waterbuck are one of the heaviest of all antelope species.

The park will be part of the captive breeding programme for this species, which number less than 1000 in the wild, mainly due to hunting.

The animals are found in the savannah grasslands, close to water, in south-eastern Africa.

When disturbed, they may submerge themselves up to the nose in water to avoid predators.