Jentink's Duiker
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| Cephalophus jentinki Thomas, 1892 |
Jentink's Duiker (Cephalophus jentinki also known as Gidi-Gidi in Krio, and Kaikulowulei in Mende) is a forest dwelling Duiker found in the southern parts of Liberia, south-western Côte d'Ivoire, and scattered enclaves in Sierra Leone.
Jentink's Duikers stand around 80 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh about 70 kilograms, making them one of the largest of the Duikers. Jentink's Duikers are gray from the shoulders back and dark black from the shoulders forward. There is a white band going over the shoulders, between the two colours and joining the white underside. Jentink's Duikers have long thin horns, which curl back a little at the ends, and reach between 14 and 21 centimetres.
Jentink's Duiker live mainly in very thick rainforest, where they eat fruit, flowers, and leaves which have fallen from the canopy as well as stems of seedlings, roots, and, to the annoyance of local farmers, palm nuts, mangos, and cocoa pods. Jentink's Duiker are nocturnal and shelter during the day in dense thickets, or buttress roots, apparently in pairs. Jentink's Duiker are reported to be territorial animals, and when frightened will run very quickly but wear themselves out easily.
There are estimated to be 3,500 Jentink's Duikers in the world. They are threatened primarily by habitat destruction.
[edit] References
- Antelope Specialist Group (1996). Cephalophus jentinki. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A1c, C1 v2.3)
