A visit to Brenton-on-Lake on a balmy Spring evening turned out to be a special treat. Coming down the hill into the little settlement we were amused to see the warning signs to drive carefully and to be cautious about the local fauna, which included hikers and cyclists in addition to buck.
Thinking the warnings were a bit overdone, at the bottom of the hill we took a left into Capt. W.A.Duthie Street and encountered our first of a dozen or more Bushbuck seen wandering around the serene neighbourhood.
The locals were obviously not perturbed by this familiar scene. We saw elderly folk, young couples and children on bicycles continuing on their quiet evening perambulations, apparently oblivious of the privilege they enjoyed in this beautiful haven.
The shy and elusive Bushbuck is widely distributed over sub-Saharan Africa. Bushbuck have a lot of individual and regional differences in their coat colours and patterns.
As many as 40 varieties have been described. The one found in Brenton-on-Lake apparently belongs to the Southern, sylvaticus species, which is 15-25% larger and has fewer stripes than its Northern relatives.
Physical Characteristics: All varieties and both males and females have geometrically shaped white patches or spots on the most mobile parts of the body; the ears, chin, tail, legs and neck, as well as a band of white at the base of the neck. The males are generally bigger and darker than the females and are the only ones to sport horns.
Habitat: As its name implies, this shy antelope is a true bush dweller that spends up to 80% of its life beneath the bush canopy. In general, Bushbuck inhabiting deep forest have darker coats.
Did you know?: The Bushbuck's hunched-up gait makes it a slow and clumsy runner, but it is a good swimmer and can jump 6-foot-high fences.
Cache: The container is a pill bottle containing only a log sheet.
