Bushbuck

Ecology: Abundant shade, cover for refuge and nutritious browse fodder are the essential elements of bushbuck habitat and are found mainly in thicket, closed woodland, riverine bush and forests. Tropical conditions with a moist climate provide the most suitable environment. Bushbuck can survive without drinking water provided that the diet contains sufficient moisture and ample shade is present. In order for bushbuck to survive the habitat must consist of thickets or a closed vegetation canopy, the rainfall must be over 250 mm and the minimum temperature above -2° C.

​

Bushbuck are bush-dwellers. They leave the bush at dusk to feed on pastures and

cultivated vegetables and return at the approach of day. Bushbuck are vulnerable to drought stress and severe cold and have a mortality rate ranging from 15-25% in these conditions. They are sensitive to sudden environmental changes such as overgrazing, bush clearing or thinning and to trampled grass. Ecotones and degraded habitats are not suitable for bushbuck as they prefer pristine vegetation and a good veld condition. 

​

The bushbuck is a highly selective, concentrate feeder browsing predominantly on

dicot forbs, shrubs and small trees. It selects both plant species and plant specific

material, especially young growth from actively growing shoot ends. Unlike the kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, bushbuck avoid eating mature leaves from the sides of older branches but rather bite off the entire shoot tip. Important components of the diet include flowers, fruit, berries, mushrooms, fungi and succulent roots dug out with the front feet. If available, small portions of the green leaves of medium height, sweet grasses (12-30 cm) are browsed throughout the year.

​

As the bushbuck is a concentrate feeder, the habitat must have a wide range of

palatable, highly nutritious browse species that are highly digestible, rich in protein

and carbohydrate and low in crude fiber. During drought the declining nutritional value of the diet usually results in major bushbuck mortalities. Studies measuring the exhausted body-fat reserves of bushbuck carcasses in the Weza-state forest of

KwaZulu-Natal, indicated that feeding-quality stresses were the source of more than

60% of bushbuck mortalities. Most deaths occurred between April and November with a peak of 65% between August and September. At times such as these, the diet can be supplemented with fresh or dried lucerne and a concentrate of antelope cubes. In captivity bushbuck do well on a mixture of lucerne, antelope cubes, fresh browse, vegetables and fruit.

Behavior: Bushbuck are semi-solitary animals that occur either singly, in pairs, or in small groups consisting of one dominant mature ram, 2-3 adult ewes and 1-2 sub-adult youngsters. The dominant ram stays with a family group throughout the year but does not form a strict family bond. Family bonding is weak and group structures are unstable, individuals constantly exchanging between adjacent family groups. Adjacent groups usually avoid each other where home ranges overlap but temporary gatherings may occur on communal feeding grounds. Socially immature sub-adult rams are solitary and keep to the fringes of family groups avoiding the dominant ram

​

Bushbuck do not appear to be territorial and lack the pre-orbital excretion glands

needed for marking. Family groups tend to avoid each other during daily activities,

rather than display territorial behaviour. As a result far greater animal densities occur

in comparison to other antelope species. This can be seen in the Luangwa River valley where up to seven bushbuck/ha are supported. The home ranges of several adjacent groups may overlap completely but groups keep a distance between each other and do not utilize the same area at the same time (spatial separation). Bushbuck are not migratory but will move permanently if the fodder resource is insufficient and the habitat becomes less suitable. The main cause triggering movement is a drying out of the habitat.​

Predation: Common predators include leopards (Panthera pardus), lions (Panthera leo), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), and hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). Jackals, Caracals, and pythons may occasionally take calves or infirm adults, though this is usually very rare. 

Reproduction: The age of sexual maturity is a function of body size and condition and is determined by veld condition. The mean age of sexual maturity is >10 months for rams and <12 months for ewes. Social maturity, the age of first mating, is reached at 18 months for

rams and 12 months for ewes. Mating occurs throughout the year. A dominant ram >1.5 years will mate with 1-3 adult ewes of >1 year, depending upon the population density. After a gestation period of 180-200 days, a single lamb is born once every 8-10 months at any time of the year.

A ewe remains fertile and can produce offspring during a lifespan of approximately 10 years. In KwaZulu-Natal the natural lambing interval was calculated to be 1.6 lambs per annum (one lamb every 7.5 months).