Suni

Nesotragus moschatus

General Description

Scientific Name: Nesotragus moschatus

Subspecies: 4 subspecies

N. m. kirchenpaueri:
N. m. livingstonianus:
N. m. moschatus:
N. m. zuluensis:

Status: Least Concern (decreasing)

Population Under Assessment: Unassessed

Population in Protected Areas: Unassessed

Description: Suni are one of the smallest antelope species, only weighing between 4.5-5.4 kg's each, and only reaching 30-43 cm at the shoulder. Only males have horns, of which only reach between 8-13 inches long in the oldest of males. They are sexually dimorphic, with males usually being larger than females, though to a lesser degree compared other duikers.

Suni are usually reddish brown, darker on their back than their sides and legs. The belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are white. The nostrils are prominent red, and there are black rings around the eyes and above the hooves

Ecology: Suni are mostly browsers and frugivores, Suni feed on leaves, fungi, fruits and flowers, and needs almost no free water, as they get enough from the food they consume. The suni's diet is composed primarily of fallen leaf litter which is abundant in their habitat but of low nutritional quality They'll often associate with Sykes monkey (Cercopithecus mitis albogularis) and red colobus (Colobus badius kirkii) when feeding opportunistically on fallen fruit in Zanzibar. Similar behaviors occur with other monkey and parrot species across much of their range.

Suni show a clear preference for areas with dense vegetation, and areas where they can easily hide from on coming danger, and where fresh food is abundant. Like many other smaller antelope species, they contribute to seed dispersal in the forests they occupy. The prefer pristine, mature forests over younger regenerating ones, due to the abundance of leafy browse.

Behavior: is usually described as shy and secretive. Suni are active during the night and evenings, avoiding the bulk of their predators this way. They spend the day sleeping in sheltered and shaded areas. They are mostly solitary outside of mating and rearing their young, so finding more than one in one place is rare. the relatively small size of their territories means that they can occur a very high densities, with between 16-18 animals per km2 in ideal habitat.

Reproduction: Males defend territories of three hectares which they demarcate with preorbital gland secretions. The peripheries of these territories may additionally be marked with individual or communal dung pile. A male usually takes one mate, but other females may share his territory. A single calf is born weighing about two pounds, after a gestation of 183 days. The calf will usually stay with it's mother for 6-8 months, after which it will find it's own territory.

Conservation Analysis

Current & Historic range: Historically, the range of the Suni ranged over the northeastern corner of South Africa (mostly in KwaZulu Natal), all of Mozambique, a large portion of Tanzania and Kenya, and parts of Zimbabwe, Zambia. Much of that historic range is now heavily fragmented, largely due to aggressive poaching and overharvest to supply meat to the bush meat trade. They are also heavily impacted by the expansion of intensive agriculture, and by the presence of free ranging feral dogs. Suni are less adaptable to modified forests than other small antelope species, so hence they rely on protected areas to thrive

Current & Historic Populations:. the historic population number of Suni is largely unknown, though it is likely to be significantly large than current numbers. Due to the degree of habitat fragmentation, increased poaching rates, and predation by free ranging feral dogs, many populations are at low numbers, or fragmented across pockets of suitable habitat. That being said, they are still abundant in the majority of their range, and inside protected areas, they populations are stable or increasing.

Suni show considerable tolerance for high hunting pressure, due to their relatively fast reproductive rate, as well as their small territory size and tendency to hide in thick vegetation likely contributes to this. Current population estimates by the IUCN place Suni antelope at around 365,000 individuals, though this is likely a poor estimate. Increased data collection regarding populations outside of formally protected areas is essential for having a more in depth understanding of the status of Suni in the wild.

Map of Suni Range

Threats to Species Survival: the greatest threats to the long term survival of Suni, especially in on the periphery of their range, is habitat fragmentation and poaching. Due to their strong preference for old growth gallery forests, habitat alteration of any form can impact the survivability of suni populations by disrupting their supply of food, or by opening up the understory, and making them more vulnerable to predators

The bushmeat trade in Eastern Africa is also largely responsible to the reduction of suni populations across their range. The harvest is largely non-selective, and often targets vulnerable females and calves, which are the reproductive heart of the population. Snares are commonly used to capture suni and other small antelopes, laying traps along paths in the undergrowth that suni use to move across their territory.

Recommended Conservation Actions:

Increased protection from development and poaching in populations close to human settlements, as well as further economic incentives to not overharvest a particular species.
Greatly increased regulation in the Bush Meat industry, including a ban on the sale of blue duiker meat in many parts of their range. This should be done whilst allowing for local subsistence harvests, and regulated tourism hunting.
Increase surveying capabilities of most of it's populations, especially outside of protected areas, where much about the status of this species is unknown.

Economic & Cultural Analysis

Ecotourism Value: Moderate-low

Hunting Value: High

Meat Value: Moderate

Average Trophy Value: $1,300-1,500 USD

Meat Yield per Animal: 1.9-2.5 kg

Economic Value/Impacts: Especially where common, suni represent a highly valuable food resource to local peoples, especially since they can withstand high hunting pressures. Each animal is quite small, hence total yield is limited, but their abundance makes them easy to find and catch. Their value to the hunting industry is likely significantly larger than their value to the ecotourism industry. For hunters, they're a highly desired quarry, being part of the "Tiny 10" slam that many hunters aim to achieve over their lifetime. Their reclusive nature, means most photography tourists do not see them during their visit, especially in

Cultural Value: In places where suni are abundant, they were likely a staple prey animal for prehistoric and indigenous peoples across Southern Africa. Their small size makes them an easier prey item to kill than larger antelopes, and the meat is regarded as highly palatable. This is specially true in areas where they occur in high densities.

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