Yellow-backed duiker

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The Yellow-backed Duiker is the largest duiker with a massive body and slender legs. It possesses a characteristic triangular yellow central patch on the back. Head-body length ranges from 115 to 145 cm, the shoulder height from 65 to 84 cm, the body-weight is 45-80 kg. The tail is short, about 11-20 cm, and thin, with a small black tuft.

The eyes and ears are small. The suborbital glands below the eyes are very conspicuous. The muzzle is light grey in colour, and the lips are white. Both sexes have faintly ridged, wedge-shaped horns which grow 8.5-21 cm long and curve down slightly at the tips.

The coat is short and glossy, dark velvety brown to black in colour. The sides of the face are very light greyish. The yellow hairs on the back are erectile.

Yellow-backed duikers live solitary or in pairs. They are generally nocturnal, resting during the day in "forms" - regularly used beds found under fallen tree trunks, in root forms at the bases of trees, and in dense tangles, or on top of termite mounds. They are territorial, marking their territories with their maxillary glands.

Females become sexually mature at an age of 9-12 months, males at 12-18 months. After a gestation period of 7 months one single calf is born, rarely twins. , The newborns lie hidden for over a week, after which they begin to venture out. They are weaned by 5 months of age.

Yellow-backed duikers are predominantly browsers feeding on leaves, berries, fruit, seeds, fungi, and grasses. On occasion they may eat also animal protein, such as insects, lizards, birds and rodents.

Did you know?
that, after birth, a newborn yellow-backed duiker lies hidden for over a week, after which it begins to venture out and nibble vegetation?

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	BOVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Cephalophus silvicultor
Name (English)	Yellow-backed duiker
Name (French)	Céphalophe à dos jaune, Céphalophe géant
Name (German)	Gelbrückenducker
Name (Spanish)	Cefalofo silvicultor, Duiquero de lomo amarillo
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Raul654

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Western Central Africa
Habitat	Forests with heavy undergrowth
Wild population	160.000 (1999) (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	81 (45.35.1) registered by the International Studbook (January 2009), held in 32 institutions.

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Alex Sliwa

Why do zoos keep this animal

The yellow-backed duiker is a characteristic representative of the Cephalophinae subfamily which are not very common in zoos. This is a forest-dwelling species and therefore an example of an animal, which is very much affected by forest destruction and bushmeat trade. Therefore, this species is kept mainly for educational purposes.

There is an International Studbook and North American zoos run a cooperative breeding programme.

How this animal should be kept

Yellow-backed duikers should be kept in pairs or family groups. An outdoor enclosure for two adults should have a size of at least 250 m². Decoration material consisting of stems or branches are well used for marking or hiding. Duikers are good jumpers when in flight. However, if available they tend to hide away when in stress or panic.

The tropical origin of yellow-backed duikers makes a heatable stable necessary in colder climate zones, where a minimum temperature of 18 ºC is maintained. There should be separable stables available of about 10 sqm each. Straw bedding is suitable as well as some cover within the stables but also in outdoor enclosures.

Yellow-backed duikers are mainly browsers with their main diet consisting of leaves, branches, hay, alfalfa hay, grass, silage, leaves, fruit and vegetable, pellets and oats. Small amounts of animal protein such as cooked meat, boiled eggs or insects may be offered from time to time.