The Bushveld Opportunist

Meet the Common Duiker—Africa’s little Houdini. Small, fast, and endlessly adaptable, this pint-sized antelope can be found just about everywhere. From thick bush to open hills, and even creeping around your vegetable patch, Duikers make the most of whatever nature throws at them.

Standing barely half a metre at the shoulder, the Common Duiker lives life on stealth mode. Males rock tiny, sharp horns while both sexes sport a classic fawn-grey coat and that trademark nervous twitch. They don’t waste time with drama—if spooked, they vanish into cover in a flash.

But don’t let the quiet act fool you. These guys are hustlers. They’ll eat anything from leaves and fruit to insects, birds, and even the odd frog or baby mouse. If it fits in their mouth, it’s dinner. They can go ages without water by extracting moisture from their meals—true desert island energy.

Duikers are mostly solitary, with males fiercely marking territory using scent glands under their eyes. Females, meanwhile, prefer thicker bush and lower visibility. Breeding happens year-round, and you’ll often find a single hidden fawn nestled safely away from predators.

They’re small. They’re fast. They’re everywhere. And they’re doing just fine, thank you very much.