Four Days With a Duiker, (minus two..)

.. and a rather sad but, in the death, painless ending.

Not the duiker in question, but a photo I took through my car window previously.

NOTE: Not for the squeamish!

Duikers are quite a common sight in the outskirts of St Helena Bay, where I live. They are the daintiest little creatures, like the definitive Bambi. There’s even an island (that’s not an island), named after them- Duyker Eiland. Scientifically known as Sylvicapra grimmia, they are occasionally spotted walking in residential areas.

Last Friday, I saw one in the road behind our house, looking injured and emaciated. We put some food out which it hungrily devoured, but I scared it off when I came too close with my camera, and it skittishly ran away.

Three days later it returned, eating plants in my garden of succulents. I was relieved to see it was still alive. It particularly enjoyed our nutritious wonder plant, the indigenous spekboom. It was less scared too, and even let me stroke it. His injuries were quite severe; he seemed to have been mauled.

After several phone calls, someone kindly came to the rescue. We captured the poor thing and took it to the nearest veterinary clinic, about 20 kms away. Terrified, it made the saddest of sounds as we caught it and wrapped it in a blanket, not knowing we meant no harm.

Scared, in pain, and resting in the shade.

Three days later he was back, gulping down spekboom, his injuries clearly visible. I now know it’s a ‘he’, as only the males have horns.

Making his way into the garden..

He also enjoyed eating my newly-taken pelargonium cutting. I was happy to sacrifice it. He had to bite using the side of his mouth, as his front tooth was hanging loose.

Busy at the buffet..

Off to the vet. I was sitting in the back, holding those sharp horns tightly. Every now and then he would wriggle wildly and, even in his weak state, was surprisingly strong. The sad news was the vet decided it best to euthanise the poor thing, as his jaw was broken and had suffered other injuries.

Photographer unknown, but I suspect it was attacked by a caracal (rooikat), as there are several roaming in the area.

Road to Duiker Island.