A new  member of the  world’s  smallest antelope species  is now receiving visitors at the Virginia Zoo’s Exhibit Building.

The male blue duiker, named Todd, currently weighs just over 1 pound and was born Saturday, April 21, to mom Peanut and father Cinco. Visitors should keep a sharp lookout, though, because the baby duiker is just a little larger than a  guinea pig and likes to hide among the habitat’s bamboo.

“This is Peanut’s first baby, and she seems to be doing a great job,” noted zookeeper Aubry Hall.  
Blue duikers are found in the forests of  Central and South Africa. They can weigh  nearly 12 pounds and stand just shy of 16 inches tall at the shoulder. Their brown coat has a slight blue tinge.  The name "duiker" is Dutch  for "diver" and duikers use their long hind legs and short forelegs to dive into the underbrush when threatened. 

Nocturnal animals, blue duikers primarily eat fruit, flowers and leaves that fall from the rainforest canopy,  but  occasionally eat  eggs and insects, as well.  They are territorial and  either live solitarily or form mating pairs.

“The duikers are engaging and children love them,” said Greg Bockheim, the Zoo’s executive director. “The adult duikers will only tolerate the baby for about a year and a half,  but before then we expect Todd to move to a new home at another zoo.”