| Suni | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Genus: | Nesotragus |
| Species: | N. moschatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Nesotragus moschatus (Von Dueben, 1846) | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Thesuni (Nesotragus moschatus) is a smallantelope of the familyBovidae, and one of the smallestungulates on earth. It occurs in dense underbrush from centralKenya toKwaZulu-Natal inSouth Africa. It is also found on the island ofZanzibar off ofTanzania.[2]
Suni are around 30 to 43 centimetres (12 to 17 inches) high at the shoulder and weigh 4.5 to 5.4 kilograms (9 lb 15 oz to 11 lb 14 oz). They are usually reddish brown, darker on their back than their sides and legs. The belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are white. The nostrils are prominent red, and there are black rings around the eyes and above the hooves. Males have horns 8–13 cm (3–5 in) long, that are ridged most of their length and curve backwards close to their heads. Females do not have horns. Suni can make weak barking and whistling sounds.
Suni feed on leaves, fungi, fruits and flowers, and need almost no free water. They are shy, most active at night, and sleep during the day in a shady, sheltered area. They are social but males defend a territory of about three hectares. They scent-mark the boundaries with secretions from theirpreorbital glands. There may be an individual orcommunal dung pile on the periphery of the territory. A male usually takes one mate, but other females may share his territory. A single calf is born weighing about two pounds, after agestation of 183 days.
Felids,raptors,snakes, and other meat-eaters prey on suni. For protection, they are wellcamouflaged in dry grass and keep very still. When a predator is almost on top of them, they spring out and bound away into the underbrush.
Thescientific name of the suni isNesotragus moschatus; the species is in the genusNesotragus, formerly with theBates' pygmy antelope (Nesotragus batesi). The common namesuni (/ˈsünē/) is theSwahili name for this antelope in southeastern Africa.[3] Foursubspecies are identified, though these are sometimes considered to be independent species:[4][5]
The suni is a smallantelope, but larger than the other two species of its genus. This antelope resembles Bates's pygmy antelope in terms ofcranial measurements.[5] The suni stands 33–38 centimetres (13–15 in) at the shoulder; the head-and-body length is typically between 57 and 62 cm (22 and 24 in). Both sexes weigh between 4.5 and 7 kg (9 lb 15 oz and 15 lb 7 oz).[9]
Horns are present only on males;sexual dimorphism in the suni is less marked than in Bates's pygmy antelope.[5]
Populations of the suni have been notably reduced due to poaching, habitat loss and predation by dogs - especially in South Africa, where it is confined mainly to the northeasternKwaZulu-Natal. Nevertheless, the antelope is known for its tolerance to heavy hunting pressure, and is listed as a species of Least Concern.[1]
Data related toNeotragus moschatus at Wikispecies
Media related toNesotragus moschatus at Wikimedia Commons