Duiker Bushmeat

Explanation: It seemed like half the residents of this very remote village of Monkoto in the central Congo River Basin have gathered to view this unusual catch. This is a (very) immature black-fronted duiker, caught by snare by this fellow hunting wildlife for bushmeat in the jungles here in central tropical Africa.

Rarely found in the fossil records, duikers (pronounced "DIE-ker") are mostly small antelopes of woodlands and forests, the more primitive species of which are the smallest-bodied such as the black-fronted duiker. The small bodies likely evolved because plant browse can be relatively scarce on the floor of these dense dark jungles. Only later did larger-bodied, omnivorous duikers evolve with their broader diet.

Although black-fronted duikers are relatively widespread in eastern and central tropical Africa and not endangered, they may be vulnerable to intensive hunting.

Which brings us to the villagers in these photos.

The fellow holding this little duiker snagged it in a leg snare while hunting for food. Although some hunting and consumption of wildlife animals -- called bushmeat -- is illegal or can occur with no regulation, we cannot unduly fault the opportunity to obtain some meat, however little, in an otherwise challenging existence here, very far from cities and other food sources. It is the illegal organized bushmeat trade that is threatening some species and even some indigenous peoples.

When approached by people in the forest, duikers tend to freeze to avoid detection. To entice adult females to come closer, local hunters make the bleating sound of an injured immature duiker, as shown in the following video I took in massive Salonga National Park outside Monkoto, DR Congo. In this short video, I was trekking in the Park with colleagues and locals. However, no adult duiker approached us this time, but the video demonstrates the sound technique.

EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week