Cape Grysbok (Raphicerus melanotis) & Sharpe’s Grysbok (Raphicerus sharpei)
Ghosts of the Grasslands
Meet the Grysbok cousins—tiny antelope with twitchy noses, rusty coats, and a serious preference for being left alone. These are the introverts of the antelope world, and they’ve perfected the art of the disappearing act.
The Cape Grysbok is found only in South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape, mostly in fynbos and scrubby thicket. Standing just 54 cm tall and weighing around 10 kg, it’s built for tight spaces and silent movement. Its rough, reddish coat is flecked with white—“grys” means grey, hinting at this unique texture—and males wear short, upright horns like little daggers.
The Sharpe’s Grysbok, meanwhile, lives further north in places like Limpopo, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, preferring rocky slopes and dense woodland. It’s similar in size and build but with a more reddish hue and slightly larger range. It’s also a bit more nocturnal, often spotted in moonlight slipping between bushes—or not at all.
Both species are browsers, nibbling on shrubs, herbs, and fallen fruit. They survive without open water, drawing moisture from their food. And both have an odd habit: they’ll freeze in place if threatened, then bolt like bullets through the bush if the danger gets too close. Sometimes, they even hide in abandoned burrows—quick thinkers, not just quick feet.
Solitary by nature, the Grysbok rarely gives you more than a glance—just enough to make you wonder if you really saw it. But that’s part of their charm. In a world of big horns and herds, these little loners stay small, stay silent, and stay wild.
