Roofdieren
Bushbucks are most vulnerable to predators when on the run,
but if cornered the male will fight bravely; if attacked, it may
become a dangerous foe.
The principal predator is the leopard, but lions, hyenas,
cheetahs, hunting dogs and crocodiles prey on bushbucks too. The
young are also caught by servals, golden cats, eagles and
pythons as well as chimpanzees and baboons. Even though baboons
sometimes eat the young, bushbucks continue to associate closely
with them at times, picking up fallen fruit and other foods that
foraging baboons drop.
Unlike buffaloes and many other animals, bushbucks do not
tolerate oxpeckers or other birds that help control insect pests.
As a result, they often have numerous ticks on their head and
neck. They also suffer from the common ungulate diseases,
including rinderpest, which diminished their numbers in the last
19th century.
Wist je dat?
- The bushbuck's hunched-up gait makes it a slow and clumsy
runner, but it is a good swimmer and can jump 6-foot-high
fences.
- Although bushbucks live in both moist and dry habitats,
their most important requirement is good cover of forest or
bush to provide shelter and food.
