Rescued blue duiker gets a second chance

By Mayibongwe Maqhina

IN GOOD HANDS: Summerpride resident Lwandiso Zamxaka visits the recovering blue duiker at the local zoo yesterday.
Picture by MIKE THAYER

EAST LONDON -- A Summer-pride resident has developed an attachment to an injured blue duiker to the extent that he would like to see its off-spring if it is to be kept at the local zoo.

Eskom project engineer Lwandiso Zamxaka said yesterday he heard a noise in his backyard on Monday.

"When I went to investigate I found my dog struggling with a blue duiker. The dog was holding the tired blue duiker by its neck," Zamxaka said.

He said he stopped his dog and took the unconscious duiker into his house.

After about 15 minutes the duiker regained consciousness.

He said when he went to work he phoned the zoo, which dispatched officials to take the female blue duiker to the zoo.

"It encouraged me. It was brave," said Zamxaka.

"If it was 15 years ago I could have seen it as meat, but at work we are educated about the environment and animals," he said.

"Another thing, it's a female. Killing it would have been selfish."

Zoo curator Nico Roux said the duiker was doing well and would probably be paired with a male duiker or taken to a game reserve.