Cape bushbuck, Imbabala
The bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus ) is a common and a widespread species of antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bushbuck are found in a wide range of habitats, such as rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaic, savanna, bushveld and woodland. Bushbuck stand about 90 centimetres (35 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kilograms (99 to 176 lb). They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.
The bushbuck is a widespread species of antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa. These animals have a light brown coat, with up to seven white stripes and white splotches on the sides. The white patches are usually geometrically shaped and on the most mobile parts of their body such as the ears, chin, tail, legs, and neck. The muzzle is also white and horns are found only on the males.
Bushbuck occur from the Cape in South Africa to Angola and Zambia and up the eastern part of Africa to Ethiopia and Somalia. These antelopes live in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics, and bush savanna forest and woodland.
Bushbuck are the only not territorial and solitary animals. The mature males usually go out of their way to stay away from each other. They live within a "home" area, which is usually around 50 000 square meters on the savannah and much larger in the forest, which they do not normally leave. These areas usually overlap other bushbuck home areas. These antelopes are usually most active during early morning and part of the night but tend to be nocturnal near human habitations. They spend their day feeding, standing and moving about. When threatened bushbuck will lie flat on the ground, or may run away producing series of hoarse barks. When feeling the danger in the open area, they may stand still or will slowly walk to the nearest cover.
Bushbuck are herbivorous (folivorous) animals. They eat different herbs and the leaves, twigs, and flowers of various plant species. On rare occasions, they will also eat fresh grass.
Little is known about the mating system in bushbuck. Breeding takes place throughout the year with the peak during the rainy season in dry regions. Females give birth to a single calf after the gestation period that lasts around 7 months. After giving birth the mother leaves her calf well hidden and visits only to nurse it. The young calf starts to come out with its mother during the day when it is about 4 months old. Females become reproductively mature at 14 months age while males reach reproductive maturity at 11 months but generally do not mate until the age of 3 years.
The main threat to bushbuck is habitat loss due to the unsustainable growth of agriculture, settlements, and roads. Hunting pressures pose another threat to these animals in parts of their range as some local tribes continue to hunt bushbuck for their skin.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of bushbuck is around 1,340,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
