Duiker , common name for several species of small to medium-sized antelope that live in shrub lands and forests of central and southern Africa. The gray (or bush) duiker ranges into mountain plateaus. Duikers have short, straight or slightly curved horns, often absent in females of the gray duiker. The largest duikers stand no higher than 87 cm (34 in) at the shoulder; the legs are short, the back arched, and the hooves pointed. The animals are numerous but shy and rarely seen; usually they travel alone or in pairs. They eat a wide range of vegetation and occasionally carrion or small birds, and they are hunted for their meat.