Yellow-Backed Duiker
Cephalophus silvicultor
The largest of the forest duikers, a dark, shy African antelope with a bright yellow patch on its back.
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About the Yellow-Backed Duiker
Yellow-backed duikers live in forests of western and central Africa, from Guinea-Bissau to Uganda and south to Angola and Zambia. They weigh 99 to 176 pounds and have black or brown coats with a yellow triangle on the back near the tail. Both sexes have short, cone-shaped horns. They eat mostly fruit, plus leaves, seeds, buds, bark and shoots.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Cephalophus silvicultor[1]
- Size
- About 3.8 to 4.8 feet long.[1]
- Weight
- 99 to 176 pounds.[1]
- Lifespan
- About 10 to 12 years in the wild.[1]
- Diet
- Mostly fruit, plus leaves, seeds, buds, bark and shoots.[1]
- Habitat
- Forests with thick undergrowth.[1]
- Where it lives
- Western and central Africa.[1]
- Group life
- Solitary; rests by day and feeds at night.[1]
- Conservation status
- Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- duiker
- A small to medium African antelope; the name means "diver" because it dives into bushes.
- frugivore
- An animal that eats mostly fruit.
- undergrowth
- Bushes and small plants growing under trees.
- territory
- An area an animal lives in and defends.
- near threatened
- A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.
See it in person
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, Nebraska · Hubbard Gorilla ValleySee this area on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. “Yellow-backed duiker (Cephalophus silvicultor).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cephalophus_silvicultor/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Cephalophus silvicultor (Yellow-backed Duiker).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4150/50184147 (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.
