Speke had stated in a footnote in his book that the species had been named Tragelaphus spekii by English zoologist Philip Sclater.

In 2005, Sandi Willows-Munro of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban) carried out a mitochondrial analysis of the nine Tragelaphus species.

The results showed that sitatunga plus bongo (T. eurycerus) form a monophyletic clade with the mountain nyala (T. buxtoni) and bushbuck (T.

[12][13] The sitatunga is more variable in its general characters than any other member of the tribe Strepsicerotini, that consists of the genera Taurotragus (elands) and Tragelaphus, probably because of their confinement to swampy and marshy habitats.

[7] The species might even be monotypic,[7] however, based on different drainage systems, three distinct subspecies are currently recognised:[15][16] Giant eland Common eland Greater kudu Balbok Bongo Sitatunga Cape bushbuck Harnessed bushbuck Nyala Lesser kudu The sitatunga is a medium-sized antelope.

[5] The coat colour varies geographically, but, in general, is a rufous red in juveniles and chestnut in females.

Males develop a rough and scraggy mane, usually brown in colour, and a white dorsal stripe.

The wedge-like shape and lowering of the head, coupled with the backward bend of the horns (in males) provides for easy navigation through dense vegetation.

Hearing is acute, and the ears are so structured that the animal can accurately determine the direction from where a sound has originated.

Sitatunga may occasionally emit a series of coughs or barks, usually at night, which may cause other animals to join in, and these sounds can be heard across the swamp.

Sitatunga are good swimmers, but limit themselves to water with profuse vegetation in order to escape crocodiles.

Preferred plants include: bullrushes (Typha), sedges (Cyperus), aquatic grasses (Vossia, Echinochloa, Pennisetum, Leersia, Acroceras and Panicum.

At low water levels the cattle take over the flooded plains and send the sitatunga back to their original place.

A receptive female will raise her head with her mouth wide open, following which the male will begin attempts at mounting.

The calf takes time to master the specialised gait of the sitatunga, and thus often loses its balance and falls in water.

[11] Males, and even some females, have been observed to leave their herds even before reaching sexual maturity due to intrasexual competition.

[17] The sitatunga is an amphibious antelope (meaning it can live on both land and water) confined to swampy and marshy habitats.

[29] Sitatunga move along clearly marked tracks in their swampy habitat, often leading to reed beds.

[11] The sitatunga hold small home ranges near water bodies [27] In savannas, they are typically found in stands of papyrus and reeds (Phragmites species and Echinochloa pyramidalis).

[1] The sitatunga is native to Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Other threats include the increasing loss of wetlands, that has isolated populations; and long-term changes in the water level, that affects the nearby vegetation and thus bears upon their diet.

Vast areas of Bangweulu and Busanga are burnt every year, placing animals like the sitatunga at grave risk given the inflammability of swamps.

Formerly it was common throughout Gambia, but now it is confined to a few inaccessible swamps; a population has been introduced in the Abuko Nature Reserve.

On the other hand, though the animal is hunted by locals primarily for food, Botswana still supports a large portion of the total population.

The species is of great economic significance for northern Botswana, that produces some of the world's biggest sitatunga trophies.

In 1999, Rod East of the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group estimated a total population of 170,000, but this is likely to be an overestimate.