Cephalophus natalensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CETARTIODACTYLA	BOVIDAE

Scientific Name:

Cephalophus natalensis

Species Authority:

A. Smith, 1834

Common Name/s:

English

–

Natal Duiker, Natal Red Duiker, Red Forest Duiker

Taxonomic Notes:

Sometimes considered to include Harvey's Duiker C. harveyi (e.g., Grubb and Groves 2001, Grubb 2005), but the two species are here retained as distinct (following Kingdon 1982, East 1999, and Hoffmann and Bowland in press).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group
Reviewer/s:	Mallon, D.P. (Antelope Red List Authority) & Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Least Concern as the species remains reasonably widespread and population size and range surpass the thresholds required for a threatened category. If current trends persist, the Natal Red Duiker may eventually disappear from substantial parts of its present area of occupancy, but its survival should not be threatened in the long term if it continues to be represented by healthy populations in protected areas such as Selous, Nyika, South Viphya, Maputo, St. Lucia, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and others.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Natal Red Duiker formerly occurred widely in coastal and riverine forests and thickets, escarpments and montane forests from south-eastern Tanzania to north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press). There are no confirmed records of this species from Zimbabwe or Zambia; East (1999) shows the species occurring in north-east Zambia and northern Malawi, but these records relate to Harvey’s Duiker (see Hoffmann and Bowland in press, and references therein).
Countries:	Native: Malawi; Mozambique; South Africa; Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Bowland (1990) recorded densities varying from 1/0.5-1.0 ha in favourable habitat (such as at St. Lucia) to 1/2.5-5.0 ha in less favourable areas. East (1999) produced a total population estimate of about 42,000, although actual numbers could be considerably greater. Population trend is gradually downwards over much of the species’ range, although a substantial part of the range occurs in Mozambique, where an overall recovery in wildlife populations is likely to include this duiker (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

Bowland (1990) recorded densities varying from 1/0.5-1.0 ha in favourable habitat (such as at St. Lucia) to 1/2.5-5.0 ha in less favourable areas. East (1999) produced a total population estimate of about 42,000, although actual numbers could be considerably greater. Population trend is gradually downwards over much of the species’ range, although a substantial part of the range occurs in Mozambique, where an overall recovery in wildlife populations is likely to include this duiker (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press).

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Inhabits evergreen forest, tropical/subtropical forest patches, coastal scrub, and riverine thickets. In north-east KwaZulu-Natal, they occur up to about 200 m elevation (Rowe-Rowe 1994).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Natal Red Duiker have disappeared from large parts of their former range, largely as a result of the loss of suitable habitat in the face of expanding human settlement and agriculture, as well as hunting (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press). Nonetheless, it remains locally common within its former range.

Major Threat(s):

Natal Red Duiker have disappeared from large parts of their former range, largely as a result of the loss of suitable habitat in the face of expanding human settlement and agriculture, as well as hunting (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press). Nonetheless, it remains locally common within its former range.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The Natal Red Duiker is well represented in several well-managed protected areas such as Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania), Maputo Game Reserve (Mozambique), Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Ndumo G.R. (South Africa) (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press). There is a need for further taxonomic work to investigate the status of this species relative to Harvey's Red Duiker.

Conservation Actions:

The Natal Red Duiker is well represented in several well-managed protected areas such as Selous Game Reserve (Tanzania), Maputo Game Reserve (Mozambique), Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Ndumo G.R. (South Africa) (East 1999; Hoffmann and Bowland in press).

There is a need for further taxonomic work to investigate the status of this species relative to Harvey's Red Duiker.

Citation:	IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2008. Cephalophus natalensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 18 June 2013.
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