It’s MAD MAMMAL MONDAY (uhm THURSDAY)! The MammalMAP team has been at a conference and so decided to postpone MAD MAMMAL MODAY a few days. So on this Thursday we introduce you to the Sharp’s grysbok (Raphicerus sharpie). Sharp’s grysbok is endemic to Africa. Its distribution is shown in the map below, which shows the IUCN distribution. They are nocturnal mammals and are described as being very shy and secretive, and so hide themselves in the undergrowth. This bokkie is actually quite a good swimmer too. They are predominately browsers but may also graze. They prefer habitat that is well covered but have been documented in other habitats too, such as woodlands. They have short legs and a cryptic colouring which allows them to keep low to the ground and run through thick bush and not be seen. Only the males have horns. They are aseasonal breeders (breed through-out the year). They have a gestation period of 7 months and only give birth to one baby at a time. The Sharp’s grysbok is predated on by lions, jackals, caracals, pythons and large raptors. According to the IUCN they are categorised as least concern because they have a wide distribution and almost a third of the population occurs in protected areas. They have been pushed out of some parts of their former range due to human settlements expanding and due to the fact that they were hunted for bushmeat. Their population seems stable at this point. All the photographs were taken from the Virtual Museum Database. References: Hoffmann, M and Wilson, V.J. Raphicerus sharpie Sharp’s Grysbok; pp 308-310 in Kingdom, J and Hoffman, M. (eds.) 2013. Mammals of Africa: Volume VI: Pigs, Hippopotamuses, Chevrotain, Giraffes, Deer and Bovids. Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:57:23 +0000
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