Bushbuck

There’s what looks like an East African Bushbuck on the forest edge. They’re elusive and solitary and brilliantly camouflaged. It’s unusual to see one out in the open in good light. I love the pattern of black markings on its face and the horizontal white stripe at the base of the neck.

I check out their details. Their scientific name is Tragelaphus scriptus, and they are called Mbawala, Kulungu, or Pongo in Swahili. They are crepuscular or nocturnal and inhabit thickets and dense forest, only emerging to feed on forest edges. Something must have disturbed this one.

As it runs I see it has a wound over its right eye.

Their most distinctive feature is the white speckles on the flanks. I can’t see any white speckles on this one. Have I got my identification completely wrong? Or is this a young one which hasn’t developed it’s white-spot camouflage yet?

I ought to get a move on. I’m meant to be on the institution bus and yet I’m lying down in the dirt photographing an elusive antelope. I don’t want the rest of the volunteers to find out what I’m like too early on our trip.

They’ll find out soon enough.