Common duiker
Scientific name: Sylvicapra grimmia
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
Diminutive antelope with a stocky build, rufous-brown to greyish coat, and a slightly arched back. Males sport short, straight horns (3–4 cm); females are typically hornless. Black facial stripe and white underparts.
Size and weight
Males 12–16 kg, females 11–15 kg; body length 60–75 cm.
Habitat
Favours woodland savanna, thickets, and dense scrub from sea level to 3,000 m elevation. Prefers areas with good cover and access to water.
Distribution
Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa from Guinea to South Africa, inhabiting savanna-woodland mosaics and forest margins.
Diet
Primarily fruits, berries, and fallen vegetation; supplements with leaves, shoots, and herbs depending on seasonal availability.
Behaviour
Predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal, most active around dawn and dusk. Solitary or in pairs; territorial and highly alert with a characteristic bounding gait when disturbed.
Hunting tips
Look for small, neat hoof-prints and pellet droppings along game trails near thick cover. Early morning and late evening approaches work best when animals forage in open. Move slowly through scrub, pausing frequently to glass clearings and water sources; exploit wind direction and use natural terrain to close distance quietly.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 14 countries in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.