Blue duiker (Philantomba monticola)
The tiny blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), one of Africa’s smallest antelope, can be spotted at dawn and dusk, when it is most active, looking for fallen fruits, flowers, fresh leaves and even bird eggs. The blue duiker is widely distributed in central, eastern and southern Africa. They can be found in a variety of forested areas, including rainforests, riverine forests, dense thickets, and montane forests.
Blue duikers are the smallest of the duiker species, weighing no more than 3,5 to 8,5 kg. They are generally 40 to 90 cm long, with a 7 to 12.5 cm tail that is black with a white underside. Their coat color varies depending on their range, but is typically brown, often with a blue tint. Males have a pair of short spiky horns that are about 5 cm in height.
The common name of duiker comes from the Afrikaans duik or Dutch duiker – both mean "diver", which refers to the practice of the animals to frequently dive into vegetation for cover.
This picture is taken at Burgers Zoo (www.burgerszoo.eu) in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
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All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd (Foto Martien).
All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
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Blue duiker (Philantomba monticola)
The tiny blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), one of Africa’s smallest antelope, can be spotted at dawn and dusk, when it is most active, looking for fallen fruits, flowers, fresh leaves and even bird eggs. The blue duiker is widely distributed in central, eastern and southern Africa. They can be found in a variety of forested areas, including rainforests, riverine forests, dense thickets, and montane forests.
Blue duikers are the smallest of the duiker species, weighing no more than 3,5 to 8,5 kg. They are generally 40 to 90 cm long, with a 7 to 12.5 cm tail that is black with a white underside. Their coat color varies depending on their range, but is typically brown, often with a blue tint. Males have a pair of short spiky horns that are about 5 cm in height.
The common name of duiker comes from the Afrikaans duik or Dutch duiker – both mean "diver", which refers to the practice of the animals to frequently dive into vegetation for cover.
This picture is taken at Burgers Zoo (www.burgerszoo.eu) in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
______________________________
All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd (Foto Martien).
All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
______________________________
.
.