Blue Duiker (Philantomba monticola) & Red Duiker (Cephalophus natalensis)

Whispers in the Undergrowth

While bigger antelope own the plains, the Duikers rule the underworld—the dark, tangled world of thick forest and leafy floor. These two tiny antelope, the Blue and Red Duiker, are stealth specialists. Blink and they’re gone.

The Blue Duiker is the smallest antelope in Africa, standing just 32–41 cm tall and weighing under 9 kg. With a sleek, grey-blue coat, luminous tail hairs, and big, round eyes, it looks like something dreamed up by a forest spirit. It moves in mated pairs, guarding tiny territories and calling to each other with chirps and yowls. A flash of white tail fur and a rustle in the leaves—that’s all you’ll get before it disappears again.

Just as elusive, the Red Duiker is a little larger, with a rich, rust-coloured coat and a more hunched, compact posture. Found in dense bush and thickets from KwaZulu-Natal to Mozambique, it moves alone or in pairs and prefers low light and high cover. When startled, it shoots into the bush with explosive power and lets out a sharp snort. The tuft of black-and-red hair between its horns adds to its secret-agent look.

Both duikers are browsers, feeding on leaves, fallen fruit, mushrooms, and even snails or bird eggs. And both leave little signs—fresh tracks, scat, or scent marks—but are nearly impossible to spot unless they want to be seen.

They’re small. They’re strange. They’re rarely photographed. But these forest whispers are proof that the wildest creatures don’t have to be big or loud to leave an impression.