Red Forest Duiker

Cephalophus natalensis

General Description

Scientific Name: Cephalophus natalensis

Other Names: Natal Red Duiker or Natal Duiker

Subspecies: No subspecies

Status: Least Concern (decreasing)

Population Under Assessment: Unassessed

Population in Protected Areas: Unassessed

Diet: Herbivore - Browse, Grasses & Fruits

Male Size: 4 Kgs

Female Size: 4.7 Kgs

Trophy Size: 4.45 cm

Generation Length: 4.5 years

Reproductive Season: Year Round

Time of Activity: Diurnal

Description: Like most duikers they're a diminutive antelope, with an average weight of 14kg's, and a shoulder height of 43cm. Likewise their horns are also small, usually around 6cm long, but smaller in females. The red forest duiker is a rich reddish-brown in color, although the underparts are usually whiter. The hairs on the chin, throat, and insides of the ears are usually also a shade of white. A tuft of reddish-brown and black hairs grow between the horns, and the tail has a white tip.

A notable characteristic of the Natal red duiker's appearance is its hunched back, with front legs shorter than the hind legs. These longer hind legs are in a crouched position, which serves as an advantage when the duiker senses danger and needs to flee quickly into a nearby bush

Ecology: Red forest duikers reside in forest and dense bush habitats in both mountainous and coastal areas, where surface water is readily available. Populations densities are often the highest in areas where fruits are readily available as well. They are concentrate feeders, as they don't have the ability to digest fiber well.

Foraging usually occurs during daylight hours, though in heavily disturbed areas, they can become more nocturnal.

Behavior: red forest duikers are commonly a solitary animals, though sometimes are found in groups of 2-3 individuals, commonly a female and it's fawn, or a male courting a female. Red forest duikers are quite territorial, marking their territory by using a substance secreted from the maxillary glands near their eyes, rubbing its face on grass, twigs, bark or other surfaces to indicate its territorial boundaries. Sometimes, the Natal red duiker will even mark its territory on its mate or calf.

Reproduction: the average gestation period for a red duiker is around 8 months, after which usually a single calf is born, that will stay with the mother for between 6-8 months. Males are not involved in the rearing of young during any stage, but they are known to respond to the distress calls of calves, at similar rates to the females.

Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: Red forest duikers reside in forest and dense bush habitats in both mountainous and coastal areas, where surface water is readily available. Red Duiker have been pushed out of much of their historic range, and fragmented across the areas they still occupy, largely due to the destruction of suitable habitat, and poaching by local peoples for the bush meat trade. Within protected areas most of their range has remained stable or otherwise stayed stable.

Current & Historic Populations: In 1999, their population was estimated at 42,000 individuals across their range, though this number is likely out of date, and significantly lower due to the accelerating rate of habitat destruction and poaching in the past 20+ years. Populations outside of protected areas are most under threat, especially in areas close to human settlement, where much of the red duikers habitat has been replaced by mono-culture

Map of Red Duiker Range & Populations

Threats to Species Survival: Red duikers have in the past 30-40 years, undergone significant range reduction, with only around half of it's historic distribution still containing suitable habitat. Poaching for the bushmeat trade has become a serious threat to species survival, just as clearances of land for mono-culture crops such as corn or tree plantations. Populations within protected areas have stayed stable where anti-poaching programs effectively protect wildlife.

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Increase surveying capabilities in areas close to human settlements, where the species is at the greatest threat of poaching and habitat degradation.
Incentives for local people to harvest this species sustainably, as well as increased regulation in the bush meat trade. This may involve bans in some areas.
We recognize the need to gain a deeper understanding of how Red Duiker populations are being influenced by human development, and how they can survive alongside people in rural areas.

Economic & Cultural Analysis

Ecotourism Value: Low

Hunting Value: High

Meat Value: Moderate

Average Trophy Value: $1,500-2,000 USD

Meat Yield per Animal: 1.5-2 kg

Economic Value/Impacts: The economic impact of grey duikers is low compared to many other species. Though their meat is palatable and flavorful, each anima is quite small and yield is low, so they aren't often pursued as a regular food source, especially if larger game such as bushbuck, impala or nyala is available.

Red Forest Duiker are valuable to the Trophy Hunting industry, being a member of the Tiny 10. Like the smaller Blue Duiker, they are quite a challenging species to pursue, especially when looking for a mature male, as the horn size differences between males of different ages is very small, and hard to observe from a distance.