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

Bushbuck ram

Bushbuck

Bushbuck ewe