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Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Silhouette: Robert Hering · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderArtiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)
- FamilyBovidae (Bovids)
- GenusTragelaphus (Spiral-horned Antelopes)
- SpeciesTragelaphus scriptus (Northern Bushbuck)
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
50 Verified sightings at Pretoria
2,022 In all 36 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Northern Bushbuck
The harnessed bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) or northern bushbuck, is a medium-sized antelope, widespread in sub-Saharan-Africa. The harnessed bushbuck species has been separated from the Cape bushbuck, a southern and eastern species.
In a 2007 study, 19 genetically-based groupings were found, some of which do not correspond to previously described subspecies; eight of these were grouped under the nominate taxon. Former subspecies included as synonyms to the nominate taxon are phaleratus, bor and dodingae.
Hassanin et al. (2018) found an mtDNA/nuclear DNA discordance between scriptus and sylvaticus clades. Their phylogenetic analyses showed that the scriptus (northern) lineage is a sister-group of sylvaticus (southern) lineage in the nuclear tree, whereas it has nyala (Tragelaphus angasii) haplotypes in the mitochondrial tree. They also found different karyotypes (chromosome numbers and arrangements), with those of scriptus deriving from the nyala. They concluded that scriptus (but not sylvaticus) had hybridized with an "extinct species closely related to T. angasii" in ancient times; and that "the division into two bushbuck species is supported by the analyses of... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Northern Bushbuck in Pretoria
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Academy of Sciences | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Kano Zoo | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 3 | Valencia Bioparc | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Gladys Porter Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Audu Bako Zoo | 🇳🇬 Nigeria |
Closest Relatives at Pretoria
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Northern Bushbuck in Pretoria?
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Bushbuck sighting in Pretoria on a given day, based on 50 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 19 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Northern Bushbuck in Pretoria?
July and August
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Bushbuck in Pretoria on a given day, against under 5% in March, the lowest month. Those are among Pretoria's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain a month against 130 mm in December.
What time of day is best to see a Northern Bushbuck?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Bushbuck sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Pretoria the best place to see a Northern Bushbuck?
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Northern Bushbuck sightings, Pretoria ranks 2nd at about 30%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Lagos (Nigeria, about 30%).
Which relatives of the Northern Bushbuck live in Pretoria?
Same family: Bovidae
The closest relatives of the Northern Bushbuck that you can see in Pretoria (family Bovidae, Bovids) are Impala (about 30%), Bontebok/Blesbok (about 20%) and Springbok (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Northern Bushbuck sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Bushbuck is recorded against all the mammals logged in Pretoria (50 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
