Common duiker

Duiker in Kruger National Park

The duiker ( Sylvicapra grimmia ) is a species in the subfamily of the Ducker ( Cephalophinae ). The scientific name honors the Swedish physician and naturalist Nicolas Hermann Grimm, who had described the nature of the service of the Dutch East India Company in 1686 from South Africa.

The top of this Duckers is uniformly gray-brown to reddish yellow, the ventral side lighter to white. There is one dark brown to black markings between the front legs and face. There is a small tuft between the short, beaded horns of the males. In contrast to the duikers of the genus Cephalophus that have a curved back, this way keeps the back straight. The shoulder height is 50 inches, weight 20 kg.

The solitary Duiker mark their territories with small, loose droppings. They are both at night and during the day during the cooler time of day active. Although the duiker is a deciduous eater, he disdained no grass. The single boy can come at any time at the world and weighs 1.6 kg at birth.

Distribution and habitat

The duiker is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It is found among others in the following protected areas in the south of the continent: the Cape of Good Hope, Bontebok, Karoo, Addo Elephant, Hluhluwe / Umfolozi, Mkuzi, Kruger National Park, Etosha, Chobe, Hwange, Mana Pools, Kafue, Upemba, Salonga and Virunga.

The duiker is found in different habitats. He preferred with shrubbery or bushes bright with stock terrain, often in human near. So he lives, for example, in the mangroves and salt flats covered by National Park Delta du Saloum on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the northwest of Senegal.

Swell

Chris Stuart, Tilde Stuart: Southern, Central and East African Mammals. 2nd edition. Struik, Cape Town 2002, ISBN 1-86872-621-5.

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