Hunting Blue Duiker in South Africa

IDENTIFICATION: The Blue Duiker is the smallest antelope in Southern Africa.  The coat is blue-grey color with a bluish sheen on the back. The throat, chest and belly are lighter in colour, almost white. Both sexes carry short sharp horns, which are often concealed by a tuft of hair.

HABITAT: Often found in rain and riverine forest, dense thickets and are dependent on water.

BREEDING: The Blue Duiker breed all year-round; 1 fawn born after gestation period of roughly 4 up to 7.5 months (210 days). Young are hidden for the first few weeks after birth, and later driven away from the parent’s territory, when sexually matured at about 388 days.

DIET: The Blue Duiker feeds on fresh leaves, fruit and flowers fallen from the forest canopy. Forages in the early morning and from late afternoon until late into the night.

CHARACTERISTICS: The Blue Duiker is widely distributed from the Eastern Cape to parts of West Africa. Very shy and flees to dense bush at the slightest sign of danger. They are always alert when nearing an open patch in the forest. Walks fixed footpaths in the forest between resting, foraging and drinking.