Bushbuck Species Profile: The Shy Spotted Antelope of Forest Edges

Bushbuck are the antelopes you often glimpse for only a second, a reddish shape slipping into dense cover at the edge of a lodge garden or along a river track. Their caution is well founded, because they live in places where leopards and pythons hunt, and a quiet disappearing act is their best defence.

This profile explains how to identify bushbuck, how they live, and the best places and times for seeing them. For other species, see antelopes of Uganda and the gazelle, antelope and deer comparison.

This guide is part of our animals of Uganda and East Africa guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Identification

The bushbuck is a medium-sized antelope with a compact, slightly hunched back, a rich chestnut to dark brown coat in males and a lighter reddish one in females. White spots and stripes vary in number and pattern, and a white patch on the throat and chest and white markings on the face and legs complete the picture. Only males carry horns, which are short, straight and slightly spiralled, rising from above the eyes. As it flees, the bushbuck flicks a white-edged tail. Compared with the larger lesser kudu, it is smaller and has fewer stripes and a less elegant build.

Habitat and Range

Bushbuck live in a wider range of habitat than almost any other African antelope, as long as there is cover. They are found along rivers, at the edges of forests, in dense woodland and thickets, in gardens and even in the foothills of mountains. They tend to avoid open plains, although they may feed on the edges of clearings at dawn and dusk. In Uganda, look for them along tracks in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo and in lodge grounds across the country.

Diet and Feeding

The bushbuck is mainly a browser, eating leaves, shoots, twigs, flowers, fruits and pods, with some grass. It often follows monkeys and birds to pick up fruit dropped from the trees above, and it will visit crops at the edge of farmland, sometimes causing complaints. The animal feeds mostly at night or in the cooler hours, retreating to cover in the middle of the day. Because it relies on food from shady habitats, it stays close to water and thick vegetation.

Behaviour and Social Life

Bushbuck are largely solitary, though a female may be accompanied by her young and groups sometimes gather in good feeding areas. Males establish home ranges that overlap with those of females and tolerate rivals to a degree, but disputes can lead to fierce fights with the horns. A threatened bushbuck will freeze, then slip away with its head low. If cornered, it can be dangerous, and hunters and rangers treat a wounded bushbuck with respect. Alarm is signalled with a bark, a loud sound that startles first-time listeners.

Predators and Threats

Leopards are the main predator, with lions, wild dogs, hyenas, crocodiles and pythons also taking bushbuck. Calves are hidden in thick cover for the first weeks and the mother returns to nurse them. The species is widespread and not considered threatened globally, but bushbuck are hunted for meat and caught in snares in many areas, and their riverine habitat is shrinking. Where forests and river corridors are protected, they continue to do well. Read the leopard profile to learn about their main hunter.

Where to See Bushbuck

They are seen almost anywhere with thick bush near water. In Kenya, Lake Nakuru, Hell's Gate, the Aberdares and Mara riverbanks all have them, as do Tanzania's Arusha National Park and Lake Manyara. Dawn and dusk drives give the best sightings, and a slow, quiet approach is more productive than a fast one. Garden walks at lodges in Entebbe and Fort Portal frequently deliver a surprise. See Lake Nakuru and Arusha National Park.

Photography and Related Species

Use a medium telephoto lens, shoot in the soft early light and wait where the animal emerges from cover. Dark coats photograph best when the exposure is slightly lowered to preserve the white spots. The bushbuck's close relatives include the larger kudu and the water-loving sitatunga, and other small antelopes to compare are in antelopes of Africa. For tips on keeping still, see safari photography tips.

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Related Tours, Guides and Resources

• Ameera Africa Safaris homepage: Uganda safaris, tours and holidays
• Uganda safari packages
• Uganda travel guide
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