Overview
A very small antelope with an arched back and slender legs. It is similar to the royal antelope, but twice as large. To a great extent, it is intermediate between the royal antelope and the suni. The general color of the western subspecies batesi is dark chestnut, with the back darker than the flanks, and the lower legs lighter. The throat and underparts are whitish or cream. The tail is uniformly dark brown except for a white tip, and is fairly long and bushy. Very small false hoofs are sometimes present, or replaced by a bare patch of skin. The horns (males only) are tiny, slightly roughened at the base, set well apart, and inclined backward in the plane of the face. Females are similar to males, but without horns.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Neotragus
Habitat
High rain forest. Distribution- Western populations found from the Niger River in Nigeria eastward through southern Cameroon, northern Gabon and northern Congo (B) north of the equator; and eastern populations occur in northeastern Congo (K), extending into the Semliki Forest of southwestern Uganda.
Diet
This animal both grazes and browses, as well as forages on fruits and other rain forest foods as available.
Behavior
Little known because of its nocturnal, secretive ways, but probably similar to the royal antelope.
Hunting
Few specimens have been obtained.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.