Taurotragus, commonly called Eland, is a genus of antelopes of the African savannah, containing two species: the Common Eland and the Giant Eland. The elands are the largest African antelopes.

Males range in size from 600 to 800 kg (1300—1760 lb) and may even reach a ton on rare occasions; females range from 400 to 600 kg (880—1300 lb).

The meat of the eland contains more protein than cattle meat and less fat, and eland milk has a very high calcium level. For this reason, eland have undergone selection for meat quality and milk quantity in the Askaniya-Nova Zoological Park in Ukraine. However, domestication of the animal in Europe to take advantage of their nutritional value has thus far been unsuccessful.^[1] The common eland is farmed in some parts of Africa, where it is well adapted to local conditions.

See also

• Taurotragus derbianus (Gray, 1847) -- Giant Eland
• Taurotragus oryx (Pallas, 1766) -- Common Eland

Notes

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