Duiker of Kruger National Park – Grey and Red Varieties

The duiker of Kruger National Park are dainty antelopes and about as big as a medium-sized dog.

There are two types of duiker in the park; grey or common duiker and red or Natal duiker.

Grey Duiker

Grey duiker vary in colour from a yellowish-brown to grey. They have a distinctive black blaze down their noses which makes them easy to recognise. Only male grey duiker have horns.

Grey duiker live in the scrub and bushes where they can be sheltered. They live on their own and only meet up with another duiker during the mating season.

Grey duiker graze in the early morning, late afternoon and sometimes even at night. During the rest of the day, they rest to help keep cool, especially when it is very hot.

It’s not uncommon to see a grey duiker a few metres back from the roadside in long grass or low shrubs when you least expect it.

Red Duiker

The red duiker is smaller than the grey duiker. In fact, they can weigh only half as much!

Red duiker are a reddish-brown colour and have small straight horns. They live in bush near rivers, mountains and rocky areas.

Most of the time, red duiker live on their own, but sometimes they form small herds. They’re nocturnal animals, but are known to be active during cooler, overcast days. If you’re in Kruger National Park in the heat of summer, you’re unlikely to see a red duiker during the day. The only real opportunity to see wildlife at night, other than what might be around your rest camp, is by going on a game drive.