Suni

Suni(Neotragus moschatus)

Phylum —chordata
Class — mammalia
Order — artiodactyla
Family — bovidae

Genus – neotragus

Appearance

Suni are around 12–17 inches (30–43 cm) high at the shoulder and weigh 10–12 pounds (4.5–5.4 kg).

They are usually reddish brown, darker on their back than their sides and legs. The belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are white. The nostrils are prominent red, and there are black rings around the eyes and above the hooves.

Males have horns 3–5 inches (8–13 cm) long, that are ridged most of their length and curve backwards close to their heads. Females do not have horns.

Suni can make weak barking and whistling sounds.

Habitat

It occurs in dense underbrush from central Kenya to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

Behavior

These animals are shy, most active at night, and sleep during the day in a shady, sheltered area. They are social but males defend a territory of about three hectares. They scent-mark the boundaries with secretions from their preorbital glands.

There may be an individual or communal dung pile on the periphery of the territory. A male usually takes one mate, but other females may share his territory.

Diet

Suni feed on leaves, fungi, fruits and flowers, and need almost no free water. 

Reproduction

Suni are able to breed year-round, but have regional peaks in birth rates (September to December is South Africa, November to February in Tanzania).

A single calf is born weighing about two pounds, after a gestation of 183 days.Young are cached in dense vegetation and are periodically visited by the mother for nursing. They begin sampling solid foods very early (as early as three days of age) and develop rapidly.

Life span can reach up to 13 years.

In captivity

Suni feel great in captivity, both in the herd and alone. For a comfortable existence, they should have enough space and protection from the weather outdoors. The food should be familiar to that they are used to in the wild. We must not forget about a sufficient amount of water.