Those on a Kruger Park safari can expect to see all kinds of wildlife. But of all the wildlife in the park, the small antelope are often not considered an exciting sighting. When you’ve seen them once, and then continue to see them, the excitement tends to wear off.
But perhaps that is because you don’t know a lot about them. In our brief guide, we are covering 5 bokkies (small antelope) that can be found in South Africa.
Suni
Pat yourself on the back if you happen to see a Suni.
The Suni is a very shy animal and also an exceptionally rare sighting. Adding to this, they are nocturnal animals, spending most of the day sleeping in sheltered areas. They use the camouflage to the advantage.
Should a predator approach a Suni, they freeze until the threat is just about on top of them when they leap up and dodge around bushes before vanishing into the undergrowth.
This petite antelope stands only 35 cm at the shoulder and rams weigh about 5 kg with the ewes slightly larger at 5.4 kg. They have white under parts and inner legs and are a chestnut colour on their backs and head. Only the males have horns which are short and straight.
Damara Dik-Dik
The Damara Dik-Dik is about 35 – 38 cm in height and weighs only about 5 kg. They are grey-brown in colour and have a very distinctive crest of hair on their forehead. Their colouring offers them good cover in their surroundings which is usually in low shrubby bushes.
These animals establish a series of runways through and around their territories that make use of when they feel threatened. Females give birth to one fawn per season and pairs bond for life with the male being the dominant of the pair. Males do not help with the rearing of the young.
Duiker
The name Duiker is derived from Afrikaans and means “Dive”. It gets its name from its habit of ducking and diving its way through the bushes when there is danger about.
The Duiker can live quite independently of water while feeding on seeds, fruit and leaves. Of all antelope the Duiker one of the only that has been known to feed on insects and carrion.
The Duiker is about 50 cm at the shoulder and weighs between 15 and 18 kg. The upper part of the body is a greyish fawn colour while the bottom half is white. Females give birth to a single fawn. They are most active in the late afternoon and early morning hours.
Klipspringer
The Klipspringer is another antelope that gets its name from an Afrikaans word. The word “Klip” means rock and the word “Springer” means jumper, so that makes this antelope a rock-jumper. True to its name, the Klipspringer lives in rocky areas. They are small and golden in colour with relatively short legs. Their short legs help them maintain their balance on high cliff ledges. Male Klipspringers have straight horns and both male and female have small hooves that enable them to grip onto even the smallest footholds. Their fur is hollow which acts as an insulator from extreme temperatures.
Steenbok
The Steenbok is reddish-brown in colour with a white belly and they weigh about 10kg. Steenbok is another Afrikaans name and means “Stone Antelope”. It most likely gets its name because in the face of danger it lies down flat and motionless amongst the rocks. Steenbok are usually not seen in pairs although they are known to form monogamous partnerships. These animals are highly territorial. An interesting fact is that the Steenbok is one of the few antelope that actually bury their dropping like a cat does. They are selective browsers feeding mainly on forbs or leafy vegetation.
