- Small African antelopes
- Duikers have sturdy, short legs, short tails, and fairly uniform coloration.
- It grows to about 50 cm (20 in) in height and generally weighs 12 to 25 kg (26 to 55 lbs)
- Only the male has horns and these can grow to 11 cm (4.3 in) long
- The Duiker gets its name from the Afrikaans word ‘duiker’ which means to dive, relating to the animal’s habit of ducking away into the bushes when danger threatens.
- They are mainly active in late afternoon and into the night with other peak periods in the early morning hours.
- Common duiker generally occur in woodland with ample underbush and are absent from open short grassland
- Males and females do share territories, but only come together to mate.
- Fruit is a major component of every species’ diet. They will also eat insects, frogs, small birds and mammals, and even carrion
- The common duiker will stand on its hind feet to reach high into fruiting bushes.
- Common duiker are not water dependent and even where water is available they rarely drink
- They are active both day and night, but become more nocturnal near human settlements.
- Their lifespan is 8-11 years.
