Mammals
Common Duiker
Sylvicapra grimmia · also called grey duiker, bush duiker
Ducking into cover the instant danger appears, a common duiker earns its name from the Afrikaans word for diver, and its unusually flexible diet and broad habitat tolerance have made it the most widespread small antelope anywhere in Africa.
Overview
The common duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, is a small, adaptable antelope native to savanna and forest-edge habitat across almost all of sub-Saharan Africa. Its opportunistic diet, solitary habits, and unmatched geographic spread make it one of the most successful small antelope species found anywhere on the continent.
A generalist among specialists
While many small African antelope have adapted narrowly to a single type of habitat or diet, the common duiker has thrived by staying flexible, tolerating a wider range of conditions and food sources than almost any of its relatives.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and abundant across almost all of sub-Saharan Africa.
Common Duiker: common questions
Why is it called the common duiker?
This species gets its common name from the Afrikaans word for diver, describing its habit of quickly ducking into cover the instant it senses danger, combined with being the most widespread small antelope species in Africa.
Does the common duiker only eat plants?
No, this species occasionally eats insects, eggs, and even small vertebrates in addition to leaves, fruit, and seeds, a broader diet than most strictly grazing or browsing antelope.
When is the common duiker most active?
This species is largely solitary and most active during dawn, dusk, and at night, resting in dense cover through the heat of the day to avoid both predators and high temperatures.
Do female common duiker have horns?
Usually not, this species has short, straight, spike-like horns present mainly on males, though a small proportion of females can grow reduced horns as well.