Sharpe's or northern grysbok (''Raphicerus sharpei'') is a small, shy, solitary antelope that is found from tropical to south-eastern Africa.

Range

They are found in the Transvaal (

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

), the

Caprivi Strip The Caprivi Strip, also known simply as Caprivi, is a geographic salient protruding from the northeastern corner of Namibia. It is surrounded by Botswana to the south and Angola and Zambia to the north. Namibia, Botswana and Zambia meet at a s ...

(

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northe ...

and

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after ...

Description

It is similar in size to the gray duiker, but has a stockier body and shaggy fur over the hindquarters. It stands about 20" (45–60 cm) at the shoulders and weighs only 7–11.5 kg. Its coat is reddish-brown streaked with white; eye-rings, muzzle, throat and underside are off-white. The males have stubby horns, which are widely spaced. Sharpe's grysbok has a short, deep muzzle with large mouth and heavy molars for grinding. The short neck and head on a long-legged body result in a high-rumped posture when browsing.

Habits

Although widespread, Sharpe's grysbok is infrequently seen. Males and females seem to form brief associations, but the species is usually encountered singly.

Territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

is marked with dung middens. Their habitat is rocky hill country, but preferring fertile zones on the lower slopes. They are nocturnal browsers and spend the day in the protective cover of tall grass or shrubs. They are extremely timid and will run away at the first sign of anything unusual, although this flight is accompanied "short stamping hops";Kingdon, Jonathan. 1997. ''The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals''. Academic Press, San Diego & London. Pp. 386-387. () they move well away from where the disturbance occurred before stopping (unlike

steenbok The steenbok (''Raphicerus campestris'') is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the steinbuck or steinbok. Description Steenbok resemble small oribi, standing 45–60 cm (16"–24") at the s ...

, which stop and look back).Smithers, Reay H.N. 1971. The Mammals of Botswana. ''Museum Memoir'' No. 4. The Trustees of the National Museum of Rhodesia, Salisbury

arare Arare may refer to: *Norimaki Arare or Arale Norimaki, the main character in ''Dr. Slump'' media *Arare (food), a bite-sized Japanese rice cracker *Japanese destroyer Arare, a warship sunk in 1942 {{disambig ...

Rhodesia imbabwe Pp. 221–222. Sharpe's Grysbok are reported to take refuge in

aardvark The aardvark ( ; ''Orycteropus afer'') is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. Unlik ...

burrows, like steenbok. Sharpe's grysbok browse on leaves, buds, herb and fruits—in the dry season, their food is typically tough (for which their teeth and jaws are adapted). Grazed grass makes up about 30% of their diet. Like the Cape grysbok they use a communal latrine and mark sticks in its vicinity with pre-orbital gland secretions.

Taxonomy

The closely related Cape (or southern) grysbok (''R. melanotis'') occurs in the western

Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...

region. Haltenorth and DillerHaltenorth, Theodor and Helmut Diller. 1980. ''A Field Guide to the Mammals of Africa including Madagascar''. Collins, London. Pp. 53–54. () consider ''R. sharpei'' as a subspecies of ''R. melanotis''.

References

:Ellerman, J.R., T.C.S. Morrison-Scott and R.W. Hayman. 1953. ''Southern African Mammals 1758 to 1951: A Reclassification''. British Museum (Natural History), London. P. 186.

External links

Photos of Sharpe's Grysbok
{{Taxonbar, from=Q541610 Dwarf antelopes Mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mammals of South Africa Mammals of Namibia Mammals of Botswana Mammals of Zambia Mammals of Zimbabwe Mammals of Eswatini Mammals of Mozambique Fauna of East Africa Mammals of Tanzania Mammals described in 1897 Mammals of Malawi Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas