Identifying Trotters (Hoofed Animals)
This guide lists and describes the antelopes, duikers, and hogs seen at the Chimp&See cameratrap video footage. If you're ever unsure or have any questions, feel free to comment or make a forum post on Talk! (Note that some links might not work for Firefox users, so you may want to visit another version of this guide by clicking on the link in the lower right corner)
Quick links
When annotating videos in the Species ID workflow we only identify in the larger categories “Antelopes / Duikers”, and “Hogs”. After this first-pass classification the trotter videos are classified again in a Trotters ID workflow for each site, where you’ll be asked to annotate the exact species. The field guide is pretty good at helping you figure out which species you are seeing. Some of us like to dig a little deeper, though, and that's what this guide is for. It’s also an excellent help when you help us with video tagging. Each species has a bit of information about it, and of course, pictures and videos! The size given is height at the shoulders. The descriptions indicate as well in which region (A, B, C or D) a species might be found.
In addition to this guide, you can also visit the tutorial section in any of the trotters ID workflows:
Duikers
We see so many Duikers on Chimp & See, you'd be forgiven for thinking the project is about them, not chimps!
Jentink's Duiker
Jentink's Duiker / Cephalophus jentinki
Tag / Collection: #jentinks_duiker
Region A (West Africa)
Nocturnal, 80 cm, black and white.
Jentink's Duikers are mostly grey, with a black head and neck, and a white band across the shoulders and down the front leg. Similar in size to the Yellow-backed Duiker, the white shoulder band is the most distinguishing characteristic. It is only seen at some West African sites.
Zebra Duiker
Zebra Duiker / Cephalophus zebra
Tag / Collection: #zebra_duiker
Region A (West Africa)
Diurnal, 40-50 cm, red with black stripes
The Zebra Duiker is reddish brown with distinct black vertical stripes across most of its body. The legs have black markings near the knees and feet.
Small Grey Duiker
There are two species in this group, and they are not always gray! Maxwell's duiker is frequently a dull brown, whereas the blue duiker is more often a slate blue-gray.
Maxwell's Duiker / Philantomba maxwellii
Tag / Collection: #small_grey_duiker
Region A (West Africa)
Diurnal, 35-42 cm, grey-brown.
Maxwell's Duiker has a coat colour varying from gray to gray-brown, with white markings on the face around the eyes. Its most distinctive feature is the wide tail with a dull white fringe, that it flaps up and down almost constantly. They often travel in mated pairs, with or without young.
Blue Duiker / Philantomba monticola
Tag / Collection: #small_grey_duiker
Region B, C, D (Central and East Africa)
Seen at night and day, 30-40 cm, grey.
The Blue Duiker lacks the white facial markings of the Maxwell's Duiker, and has a distinct bluish tint to its coat colour, with lighter underbelly fur. The white fringe on the tail is brighter than on Maxwell's duiker. They often travel in mated pairs, with or without young.
Dark Duiker
The two species in this group are very different from each other in size and secondary colours, but both are nearly entirely black.
Yellow-backed Duiker / Cephalophus silvicultor
Tag / Collection: #yellow-backed_duiker
Region A (West Africa) and B, C, D (Central and West Africa)
Mostly nocturnal, 65-80 cm, black with yellow markings.
The Yellow-backed duiker is a solid dark brown-black, except for a yellow triangle on its back, pale markings on the muzzle and ears, and a red tuft of hair between the horns. Similar in size to the Jentink’s Duiker, when the back triangle is not visible, they can be told apart by the solid colouration of the Yellow-backed Duiker.
Black Duiker / Cephalophus niger
Tag / Collection: #black_duiker
Region A (West Africa)
Diurnal, 45-50 cm, black and red.
The Black Duiker is black, with a red head and neck, and a white tip on the tail. When seen in black and white videos, its body is much darker than similarly sized red duikers.
Red Duiker
Finally, the red duikers! This list is by no means exhaustive, but it does cover the mostly commonly seen species, and a few of the less common ones. If it doesn't look like one of the species in the above categories, it's a red duiker.
For the red duikers in region C (Central Africa, e.g., Gabon and DRC) see also this fabulous duiker guide from the Camera CATalogue zooniverse project: https://www.zooniverse.org/talk/1971/697125
Bay Duiker / Cephalophus dorsalis
Tag / Collection: #bay_duiker
Region A, B and C (West and Central Africa)
Nocturnal, 45-52 cm, dark brown and black
Bay Duikers have a strongly defined black dorsal stripe that is continuous from the blaze down the face, all the way to the tip of the tail. When seen in the daylight, their coat is a dark brown, and they have distinct white spots over the eyes. When born they are completely dark, and slowly lighten up. Juveniles may have irregular black markings on their coats. Bay duikers have larger eyes than other red duikers, often a trait of nocturnal animals.
Brooke's Duiker / Cephalophus brookei
Tag / Collection: #brookes_duiker
Region A (West Africa)
Diurnal, 55 cm, buff-gold and black.
Brooke's Duikers have a strongly defined black dorsal stripe that starts at the shoulders, and narrows to a point before the tail, with no blaze on the face. Their coat colour varies from a dull buff to a brighter, almost orange gold.
Ogilby’s Duiker / Cephalophus ogilbyi
Tag / Collection: #ogilbys_duiker
Region B (Northern Central Africa)
Diurnal, 55 cm, golden-reddish and black.
Ogilby’s duikers are medium-sized duikers. They have a golden-reddish coat with a paler belly. A thin dorsal stripe runs down to the tail root. The tail ends in a bushy, darker tuft. The neck and head can appear a bit more greyish. Both sexes have small horns.
Bush Duiker, Common Duiker, Gray Duiker / Sylvicapra grimmia
Tag / Collection: #bush_duiker
Region A, B, C, and D (West, Central and Eastern, as well as Southern Africa, but rarely seen in our footage)
Diurnal, 45-60 cm, light-reddish
There are 19 subspecies of the ‘common duiker,’ ranging from grey to reddish brown in colour. Whatever their coat colour, their belly tends to be lighter, and they may have black and white markings on the face and tail.
Red-flanked Duiker / Cephalophus rufilatus
Tag / Collection: #red-flanked_duiker
Region A and B (West and Northern Central Africa)
Diurnal, 30-40 cm, red-brown and black
Red-flanked Duikers have a wide, fuzzy edged, black dorsal stripe that continues down the entirely black tail. Their coat is bright reddish brown, and their legs are black. They have a dark blaze down the face, and dark muzzles, with a long tuft of black hair on the forehead between the horns.
Black-fronted Duiker / Cephalophus nigrifrons
Tag / Collection: #black-fronted_duiker
Region C and D (Central and East Africa)
Diurnal, 40-45 cm, red-brown and black
Black-fronted duikers are named for the black blaze down the middle of the face. They have dark glossy red coats, long dark legs, and lack a dark dorsal stripe. They have dark tails that end with a white tuft.
Weyns’s Duiker / Cephalophus weynsi
Tag / Collection: #weyns_duiker
Region C and D (Central and East Africa)
Diurnal, 40-45 cm, red-brown and black
Weyns’s duikers have coarse, bright red coats. They lack a facial blaze and dorsal stripe (with a few rare exceptions). They have a tuft of red hair on the forehead. The legs and shoulders are dark, and the dark tail ends in a tuft.
White-bellied Duiker / Cephalophus leucogaster
Tag / Collection: #white-bellied_duiker
Region C (Central Africa)
Diurnal, 42-51 cm, pale red to sandy-brown
White-bellied duikers have a base coat of brownish-red. They have a wide dorsal stripe with indistinct edges that continues as a line onto the tail. The tail ends in a large black-and-white tuft. As the name suggests, the belly is white. The legs are the same color as the body.
White-legged Duiker / Cephalophus crusalbum
Tag / Collection: #white-legged_duiker
Region C (Central Africa)
Diurnal, 55 cm, bright red with white legs
White-legged duikers are medium-sized duikers with bright red fur coloration. The hindquarters are darker and the legs are white. They have a narrow black dorsal stripe that extends to the tip of the tail. The tail has a medium-sized dark tuft. Their faces are grayer and have a black muzzle.
Hogs (Suidae)
Short video guide to hogs at Chimp&See.
Giant forest hogs (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni)
Tag / Collection: #giant_forest_hog
Distribution: all African forest habitats (regions A, B, C, D)
Seen during day and night
Giant forest hogs are the biggest African hogs. They are heavily build with a big, sturdy head and broad, naked faces. They have often rather spare dark fur with the lighter orangey-brown skin shining through. Variation in coat length and density and in different lighting situations let them appear in a wide range from light-brown and hairless to almost black with a thick fur.
Male giant forest hogs can have enormously swollen preorbital glands (shown in the screenshot below) that are considered as a type of scent glands, but could also have anti-pathogenic effects.
Red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus)
Tag / Collection: #red_river_hog
Distribution: West and Central Africa (regions A, B, C)
Seen during day and night
Red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus) are often seen in big groups. Their shiny red coat is short and very well visible in the forest. A clear blonde dorsal crest is usually seen. The faces are dark with white cheek tufts; the ears have adorably looking light tassels.
Bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus)
Tag / Collection: #bushpig
Distribution: East Africa (region D)
Seen during day and night
Bushpigs have the most diverse color morphs of all African wild pigs. Their coat color ranges from black / brown / gray to red and blondish and is accentuated by white applications at the face and towards the dorsal crest. They have ear tassels, usually in black. Although subspecies are identified, the color diversity can be seen within the same groups of animals. The fur is quite long and looks shaggy. Bushpigs are the smallest of the four hog species and are found at our Eastern sites. Towards central Africa – where they meet the red river hog home range – a zone of interbreeding between these two closely related species can occur.
Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
Tag / Collection: #warthog
Distribution: African savannah habitat (region A, B, D)
Seen during day and night
Warthogs live predominantly in arid savannah habitats like at our West African site Dry Lake. It is most easily distinguishable from the other hogs due to its unique body build. The warthog body is more barrel-shaped due to the lack of subcutaneous fat tissue and the legs are longer. In addition, warthogs fancy a mane that reaches from the head down to the spine. Because of their long legs and a rather short neck, we often see them kneeling down to feed or drink.
Antelopes: Identifying ruminants (hoofed animals)
The most common antelopes at Chimp&See are animals in the genus Tragelaphus:
Bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus)
Tag / Collection: #bushbuck
Bushbuck are widely present across Africa and can be seen at many C&S sites. Females and younger animals do not have horns and are usually a light reddish-brown color with white stripes and/or spots on the flanks. Males have longer horns than duikers have, and with a twist in them. As males age, their reddish fur may become dark brown or even nearly black. Both males and females may have a strip of slightly longer hair down the spine. In black and white videos, the flank markings may be nearly invisible, but the neck often appears to have a dark collar or the whole neck may look dark. The black and white markings on the legs are also visible in b/w videos. Variation in pelage is quite large in terms of base color and white spots/stripes on the flanks.
Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)
Tag / Collection: #bongo
Bongos are not as widely distributed as bushbuck, but are still present at many C&S sites. Adults of both sexes have long thick horns. Bongos are a reddish-brown color that is similar to that of female bushbucks, but their vertical striping pattern is always present and males don't darken significantly with age. In black and white videos, the flank markings may be hard to see, but bongos are substantially heavier and more solidly built than bushbuck. They have leg markings similar to bushbuck, but the hair down their spine is usually longer and stands up more.
Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii)
Tag / Collection: #sitatunga
Sitatungas are restricted to swampy areas and have so far been quite rare on C&S. They look nearly identical to bushbuck, but are usually somewhat heavier and with shaggier fur. A notable difference is that sitatunga have long splayed hooves, but those are likely to be hard to see!
Eland (Taurotragus oryx)
Tag / Collection: #eland
Elands are very large and spiral-horned antelopes. They live in savannah habitats. The coat color is light brown with a darker dorsal crest and a slight hint of a mane at the neck. The tail tip is black with a bushy tassel. The core body and legs might have markings. The horns resemble a bit the ones of bushbucks, but elands are way more robust than those.
(source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_eland#/media/File:Common_eland_mara.jpg)
Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
Tag / Collection: #hartebeest
Hartebeests are large antelopes with a particularly elongated forehead and high-set eyes. They live in savanna habitats. The horns are ridged and point narrowly up, sideways, and then back. The coat color is light brown and the tail tip is black with a long tassel.
Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus)
Tag / Collection: #roan_antelope
Roan antelopes look quite different from the other animals in this guide, with a more horse-like appearance and long skinny ears. They live in savanna habitats. Adults of both sexes have horns that curve back and light brown fur on the body. The face is black and white and they have a short bristly mane of pale hair tipped with black that ends just past their shoulders.
Water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus)
Tag / Collection: #water_chevrotain
Water chevrotains are distributed across many C&S areas, but have so far been seen only rarely. They have a very rounded back and a small head, with spots and stripes on the flanks. Neither males nor females have horns. They are nocturnal. Although they are technically not antelopes, please classify them as “antelope / duiker” in the Species ID workflow and as “antelope” in the Trotters ID workflow.
Royal antelope (Neotragus pygmaeus)
Tag / Collection: #royal_antelope
Another small rare animal is the royal antelope. Their distribution is limited to west Africa, though similar species may be found in central and east Africa. Royal antelope look similar to small grey duiker, but are even smaller, have shorter faces, and do not have white-fringed tails that flap constantly.
Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa)
Tag / Collection: #waterbuck
Defassa Waterbucks are large and robust antelopes. Males are both taller and heavier than females and have long, spiral horns. Males are also darker than females. Fur coloration varies between grayish-brown, dark brown, and reddish-gray. The face has white accents around the muzzle, throat, ears, and eyes. The rump is entirely white, the tail short. The fur is generally a bit longer and shaggier than seen in other antelopes, especially on the neck.
Forest or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
Tag / Collection: #forest_buffalo or #cape_buffalo
Forest buffalo have their own classification category. Please use this category also for the slightly bigger Cape buffalos, e.g., at the Issa Valley site. They can be found across many C&S areas, though they have been fairly rare on camera trap footage. They are nearly always seen at night and are very solidly built. Adults of both sexes have somewhat short C-shaped horns that point back. Coloration is dark with an even darker line down the spine and darker lower legs. Ears have fringes.
Cape buffalos are bigger and more robust than their forest cousins and don’t have ear fringes.
Cape buffalo
Cattle
Tag / Collection: #cattle
Cattle is classified as “domestic animal” and will only been seen in areas where humans graze their animals. So far they have only be seen at Dry Lake and the new Xenon Bloom site. The horns are usually straight and stick out sideways from the head. They are mostly seen during the day, are often in large groups, and come in a variety of colors, though usually paler. Not always are people around.
