Abbott’s duiker  (Cephalophus spadix)

Like many other duikers, Abbott’s duiker is being impacted by a combination of hunting and habitat destruction (1) (2). Hunted for its meat, Abbott’s duiker falls prey to snares laid in the forests it inhabits, even within so-called protected areas (1) (6), while suitable habitat is gradually encroached upon by agriculture and logging (1) (2). These human activities have resulted in the extinction of Abbott’s duiker in areas where it once occurred (1).

Although the Abbott’s duiker occurs within several protected areas, such as the Kilimanjaro National Park, Udzungwa Mountains National Park, and New Dabaga/Ulangambi Forest Reserve, this does not, as mentioned previously, completely protect this duiker from the threats of habitat loss and hunting (1) (2). In the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, there are current efforts to employ hunters in environmental education initiatives in exchange for the cessation of hunting. The Abbott’s duiker is also being used as a flagship species in village education programmes. This will hopefully be beneficial for many forest-dwelling animals, including the Abbott’s duiker (1). The expansion of certain protected areas to incorporate other important forests inhabited by Abbott’s duiker (1), in addition to the enforcement of hunting bans within those areas (6), may be essential if this Endangered duiker is to survive.