Sharpe's grysbok

Sharpe Grysbok in Kruger National Park

The Sharpe Grysbok ( Raphicerus sharpei ) is a dwarf antelope, and is similar in appearance to the grysbok, but the distribution areas of the two species do not overlap. The distribution area is the south-eastern Africa, with the nature reserves of the Kruger National Park, Hwange, Mana Pools, Kafue and South Luangwa.

The small 7.5 kg body weight and 50 cm shoulder height antelope is mainly nocturnal. It prefers low bushes, often in overgrown, rocky hills, adjacent to open grassland. Also, it occurs in dry gallery forests with a sufficient protective shrubbery.

The Sharpe Grysbok is a deciduous eater, but even grass will not despise.

It is classified as not at risk because the population size is estimated at over 95 000 animals, of which lives more than a third in protected areas.

Swell

Chris and Tilde Stuart: Southern, Central and East African Mammals. Struik Publishers 2002, ISBN 1-86872-621-5