Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Black-fronted Duiker

Cephalophus nigrifrons

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The black-fronted duiker is a medium-sized forest antelope with a reddish chestnut coat and a strongly marked black band running down its forehead and muzzle. It lives in the forests of Central Africa, almost always near streams and marshy ground, and is one of the few duikers that willingly enters water. It feeds on fallen fruit, leaves and fungi, and follows monkey troops to take what they drop. Hunting for bushmeat is its main threat.

Weight

13 kg – 18 kg

Size

85 cm – 1.1 m

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestMountainFreshwaterHerbivore Diurnal Solitary Rainforest Mountain Freshwater Mammal

21countries 5parks86same family

Fun facts

It enters water without hesitation and has been seen wading flooded ground and swimming across watercourses, something most duikers avoid.
It depends on monkeys: much of its diet is fruit dropped by the troops in the canopy, and in forests where hunting has wiped out the primates this duiker is scarce too.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Lowland rainforest and montane forest of Central Africa, near watercourses
Sexual maturity: 18 months
Gestation / incubation: 7 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalophus_nigrifrons