The Bush Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) is a shy medium-sized brown African antelope found in dry savanna in Africa. It is also called the Common Duiker or the Grey Duiker. Duiker means ‘to dive’ and the animal might be called a duiker because they dive into the bush to hide from predators.

The Bush Duiker has short brown-grey fur, cloven hooves, and very short horns.

Bush Duiker

The Bush Duiker is a solitary animal, only socializing during mating. This may be because they are highly selective feeders, feeding only on specific parts of plants. The Duikers are the seed dispersers for the plant.

The Bush Duiker is primarily a browser, because it eats leaves, seeds, buds, and bark (whereas grazers eat grass). Sometimes they eat insects.

They are both diurnal (active during the day) and nocturnal (active at night).

Bush Duiker

Bush Duiker

Bush Duiker

Bush Duiker

Bush Duiker

Bush Duiker

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM