Overview
The Red-flanked Duiker (Cephalophus rufilatus) is a vividly colored, small African forest antelope native to the river valleys and savanna-forest transition zones of West and Central Africa. Instantly recognized by its dazzling orange-rufous flanks and prominent bluish-grey dorsal stripe, it is celebrated for its graceful agility and cautious, alert nature.
Biology and Physical Characteristics
The Red-flanked Duiker has a bright reddish-orange or fox-rufous coat marked by a wide, contrasting bluish-slate or dark grey band running down the center of its back from neck to tail. Its legs are bluish-grey with white stockings above the hooves. Both sexes carry short, sharp, conical black horns that project backward, semi-concealed beneath a prominent crest of dark tufted hair on the forehead.
Behavior and Ecology
Diurnal and crepuscular, the Red-flanked Duiker lives singly or in territorial pairs that defend exclusive riverine home ranges. It moves with a delicate, springy gait, stopping frequently to sniff the air and listen for danger. When startled by a leopard or python, it dives headfirst into tangled thorny briars with breathtaking speed, uttering a sharp, whistled snort to warn its mate.
Conservation and Human Impact
Assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the Red-flanked Duiker remains locally common across protected national parks in West and Central Africa. Outside protected reserves, however, it is heavily targeted by commercial bushmeat hunters utilizing night lights and wire snares, and riverine habitats are increasingly cleared for agriculture.
Interesting Factoid
The Red-flanked Duiker sports a built-in racing stripe: a bold blue-grey stripe runs straight down its fiery-orange back, helping to visually break up its outline in the dappled sunlight of riverbank thickets.