Common+Duiker

Common Duiker by Haley Watson
====The common duiker, also known as the bush duiker, is a small-horned antelope found in west, southern, east, and central Africa. Up to 19 subspecies are known to exist. The duiker gets its name from the Afrikaans word 'duiker' which means to dive, relating to the animal's habit of ducking away into bushes when danger is detected. The common duiker’s diet consists of leaves, flowers, fruits, insects, frogs, small birds and mammals. The duiker has a very adaptable diet and is able to inhabit many habitats. The male grows to be about 50 cm in height and 12-25 kg in weight. The females are typically heavier and larger than the males. The duiker matures at around eight months old, and each mating couple produces one fawn. Their main predators are eagles, leopards, jackals, and pythons.==== ====According to the IUCN, the Common Duiker is at a lower risk of decline in population. Its resiliency to hunting and adaptability to many habitats have enabled it to live in human landscapes. It’s unlikely that the conservation status of the duiker is going to change anytime in the foreseeable future.====