OUR NATURAL LAWNMOWER AROUND CAMP

It has been over one year now since Kitoi, the bushbuck was first sighted at the camp. We reckoned he was about a month old when we first saw him, definitely too young to be by himself. Normally a female bushbuck gives birth in thick cover and calves remain hidden for the first three to four months. They are only weaned at the age of about six months. Calves still enjoy their mother’s company until the next baby comes.

He must have lost his mother in one way or another; possibly she was taken by one of the predators, most likely a leopard. Since then we have been seeing him within the camp most of the time, and he seems to be very comfortable and less skittish.

The unique behaviour of this antelope seen feeding during most of the day around camp on the juicy grass and shrubs has led to us nicknaming him Kitoi the natural lawnmower. Today at around 13:00hrs coming from the morning drive we saw him between the Safari shop and North camp main area, feedind on the servia shrubs.

Posted: Ngorongoro Crater by Erick Nyamohanga, Date: 25 January 2012

 
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