RED FLANKED DUIKER

RED FLANKED DUIKER

scientific name

Cephalophus rufilatus

size

Body Length: 2-2.3 ft.
Shoulder Height: 12-16 in
Weight: 20-26 lb.

adaptations/coloration

Bright orange on face, neck and flanks • brown or blue-gray gauntlets on legs • brown or gray dorsal patch with pale gray underfur • black nose and lips • white jaw and upper lip • ears have black and white stripes • Large preorbital gland (dark slit visible under and slightly forward of the eye) • Arched back • short legs • Horns: male and female 1.2-3.8 in. straight and slender projecting backwards from skull, may be hidden in dark forelock, especially on females • Acute vision and hearing

behavior

Believed to be crepuscular or largely nocturnal • Shy • Territorial • Active marking behavior • Intolerant of others of same sex, fights frequent • solitary or monogamous pairs • Vocalizations: shrill bark and bleat.

reproduction

Gestation: 245 days • 1 young, rarely twins • born in the dry season: hide in dense cover for the first few weeks of life • weaned by 5 months • Sexual Maturity: female 9-12 months, male 12-18 months • Lifespan: 10-12 years.

diet

Wild: Fruits, flowers and foliage from numerous species of trees, shrubs and herbs near rivers. Have been observed to eat insects, eggs and carrion. • Zoo: herbivore pellets, alfalfa cubes, grass hay, chopped apple, carrot, sweet potatoes & variety of other produce.

habitat/range

Senegal to NW Uganda • Lives in forest relics and thickets near rivers within the savanna.

status

Not listed • OZ holds studbook

other

Duiker (pronounced Die-Kur) is Africaans for diving buck. They dive for cover with head down at any sign of danger • Main predators: leopards, small cats, civets, eagles, large owls, pythons, monitors, crocodiles

oregon zoo exhibit