About Raphicerus melanotis (Thunberg, 1811)
Raphicerus melanotis, commonly known as the Cape grysbok, has a rough, reddish sandy coat flecked with white. Its head, neck, and legs have less white flecking and appear somewhat yellowish, while the inside of the ears, eye-rings, area around the mouth, throat, and underside are white. It has a black "bridge" across its nose and a dark scent gland located in front of the eye. The species stands 45–55 cm (21 inches) at the shoulder and weighs 8–12 kg (slightly more than 20 pounds). Its short tail measures 4 to 8 cm long and is almost invisible. Only males have short, sharp, straight, smooth horns, which reach roughly 8 cm in length. The Cape grysbok can fluff the fur on its rear end to make itself look larger. Its native habitat is the Fynbos biome of the Cape Floristic Region, where it primarily lives in thick shrubland. It can sometimes be found browsing in orchards and vineyards. In the Cape Peninsula, it occurs along urban edges near human activity. It may also inhabit reed beds and riverbeds in the southern Karoo.
