Menelik Bushbuck hunting in Ethiopia

Menelik’s Bushbuck, known as Amharic or Dukula in the local language are only found in the central montane forests of Ethiopia up to the 4000-metre treeline. This is the only country were they can be hunted. Menelik’s Bushbuck are the darkest (almost black in some instances) of all the Bushbuck. It has a long shaggy coat with very few markings, an adaptation to its mountainous habitat. The inside of the legs are white and it has two neck collars, one on the lower and the other on the upper parts of the neck. Menelik’s Bushbuck are often hunted in conjunction with a Mountain Nyala. Quite often local community members are posted as sentries at vantage points in search of any of these animals breaking cover to feed along the forest margins. Once the animal is sighted, they call the PH. Besides being paid for their time, the big incentive is they get a share of the meat. Menelik’s Bushbuck are classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN and no special hunting permits are required to export the trophy.