Presenter(s): Troi Feinberg − General Science
Faculty Mentor(s): Frances White, Colin Brand
Poster 65
Research Area: Natural Science
Duikers are a widespread family of tiny forest-living antelope that occur across sub-Saharan Africa. While approximately 22 species have been identified, little is known about the biology and behavior of many of these species due to their solitary and reclusive nature. Additionally, these species are sensitive to human disturbance and are often among the first species to be hunted and relocate. The objective of this study was to characterize the abundance and density of duikers inhabiting the forest near the N’dele field site in the Lomako Forest Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo. Auditory or visual observation of duikers was recorded using all-occurrence sampling over nine months from 1983-1984. We also analyzed stomach contents of animals taken by hunters from outside the study area to gain insight on their diets. We encountered three species of duiker at the field site: Cephalophus weynsi, Cephalophus silvicultor, and Philantomba monticola. We detected C. weynsi 63 times, C. silvicultor once, and P. monticola 35 times. A preliminary estimate of overall density was 4.075 per sq. km. across all species. This result is comparable to duiker densities in other protected areas. Analyses of stomach contents (N=6) revealed that C. weynsi consumed at least 23 different plant species, including the following most prevalent food items: Celtis tessmanii, Dialium sp., and Landolphia congolensis. These data contribute to our broader understanding of duiker biology and are useful for monitoring trends in population size and density at this location over time.