Species profile
About the red forest duiker
Red forest duikers are small, hunched, deep rufous antelope of closed forest, standing about 40 centimetres at the shoulder. Both sexes carry short spike horns hidden in a tuft of dark hair on the crown. The name comes from the Afrikaans for 'diver': the animal's response to danger is to plunge headlong into the thickest available cover.
In Tanzania they occur in the eastern and southern forest belt and on the wooded slopes of parks such as Arusha and Mahale. Sightings are brief — usually a red shape crossing a forest track — and all the more prized for it.
Life in the wild
Behavior & relationships
Behavior
Active by day in undisturbed forest, otherwise crepuscular. Follows monkey troops to feed on fruit and leaves dropped from the canopy.
Social life
Solitary or in pairs holding a small forest territory marked with pre-orbital gland secretions.
What makes it remarkable
Special features
A dark crest of hair between short spike horns, and the habit of shadowing monkey troops for the fruit they drop.
