Tragelaphus scriptus
As its name suggests, the bushbuck is a denizen of densely vegetated habitats, ranging from riverine woodland and thickets in mountain valleys to the deepest jungles of tropical Africa.
They live mostly solitary lives, or in small and very unstable groups of ewes and lambs, and often associate with baboons and monkeys to take advantage of any fruits dropped by the foraging primates (their diet consists mostly of leaves and succulent shoots though).
Small it may be , but the male bushbuck is a tenacious fellow and rather dangerous when wounded, as several hunters and their dogs have found out to their detriment.
With a total population estimated at well over a million animals, the bushbuck is one of Africa’s most wide-spread and numerous antelope. In our experience, the best places to see bushbuck in South Africa is at Cape Vidal in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, at Letaba in the Kruger National Park, and at Swadini in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.
The bushbuck is a smaller cousin of the kudu and nyala, with a shoulder height of only 60 to 100cm and an average weight of less than 50kg.
Doesn’t it look just like the African version of Bambi!?
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Subadult bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck are common near Skukuza
Bushbuck
Bushbuck are very common along the Sabie
Shy bushbuck ewe
Baby bushbuck
Alert bushbuck ewes
Bushbuck Ewe
Bushbuck Ewe
Young Bushbuck Ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck
Bushbuck
Bushbuck
Bushbuck
Bushbuck lamb in Hilltop
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck
Bushbuck near Skukuza
Bushbuck mingling with baboons and impala along the Sand River
Bushbuck hiding in a thick reedbed, Moreletakloof
Bushbuck ewe in hiding
Bushbuck ewe with unwelcome visitors
Bushbuck
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck Ram at sunset
Bushbuck at the water’s edge
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck lamb on the banks of the Vurhami Spruit
Bushbuck ewe at rest in Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp
Bushbuck ewe in Crocodile Bridge
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck lamb in Letaba
Bushbuck ewe at Timbavati
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck in Tamboti
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck lamb
Bushbuck ewe
Young Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram and ewe
Young Bushbuck ram
Young Bushbuck
Bushbuck ram
Very old Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Very old Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram outside our cabin in the dark of night
Bushbuck ram outside our cabin in the dark of night
Bushbuck
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck
Greying old bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe wading into the dam at Tlopi
Bushbuck ewe and lamb
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe crossing the shallows of Tlopi’s dam
Bushbuck ewe crossing the shallows of Tlopi’s dam
Bushbuck Ram just outside the entrance into Tlopi Tented Camp
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe (photo by Joubert)
Bushbuck ewe wading into Tlopi’s dam to feed on water plants
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe (photo by Joubert)
Bushbuck hiding behind himself
Cheeky Bushbuck (photo by Joubert)
Bushbuck ewe (photo by Joubert)
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ewe
Bushbuck ram
Bushbuck
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I love them.
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They’re very cute antelope, especially the little lambs 🙂
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Bambi kannie kers vas hou met ons bokke nie!! 😉
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Ja-Nee, die ou bosbokkies is te oulik vir woorde, maar mens moet maar in jou pasoppens wees vir die ramme se skerp horings!
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They can be quite dangerous in the mating season. I remember when one of them took out somebody at Knysna while we were there, and not to dinner.
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Just goes to show again that all wildlife are potentially dangerous and should never be underestimated! Thanks for contributing, Colonialist!
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Splendid pix as ever, De Wets. I really like this gallery of a single species, so you can really study it and get to know it. Such a format is usually reserved for more ‘prestigious’ game – lion, leopard, eles.
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Thank you Tish!
Yes, as magnificent as the lions and leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalos are, there’s so much more to appreciate in the wilds of South Africa. like the little bushbuck.
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strange to say, but I am fascinated by its ears.
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They seem rather outsize, don’t they Lois? It’s a trait they share with the kudu and nyala.
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