The rarest antelope species in Africa, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) estimates that there are between 300 and 600 Ader’s duiker remaining in the wild. In 2005 five of these antelope were introduced to &Beyond Mnemba Island, the ideal location for a breeding project due to having no natural predators and a good supply of food. Between 2005 and 2013, the duiker have tripled their number, with a population of 15 now living on the island.
Notoriously secretive, Mnemba is believed to be one of the only places in the world where these little animals can be spotted in the wild. Working with WCS, &Beyond has collected information on the duikers’ diet and behaviour and we hope that this will allow us to improve the breeding programme, leading to a further increase in the numbers of the species.