Tiny Antelope on Zanzibar Just Posed for Its First Camera Trap Photos

For over two decades, the Pemba blue duiker has been playing an impressive game of hide-and-seek. This miniature antelope, standing barely a foot tall, lives exclusively on Zanzibar's Pemba Island. And until now, proof of its existence has been more folklore than fact.

That all changed when conservationists finally managed to snap the first-ever camera trap images of the elusive creature. Let that sink in: we're in 2024, and we're just now getting candid shots of a species that's been quietly living its life on a tropical island.

Ecologist Margherita Rinaldi and the team at Istituto Oikos deployed about 20 motion-activated cameras in the Ngezi Nature Forest Reserve. They set them up in late January, strategically placing them along faint animal trails that experienced forest guards pointed out. Because if anyone knows where the secret paths are, it's the folks who walk them every day.

Their patience paid off. The cameras confirmed blue duikers are living in at least half of the 5,000-acre reserve. "We’re just excited they’re there and well distributed," said Silvia Ceppi, a scientific adviser to Oikos. Which, if you think about it, is both a massive understatement and perfectly dry observation.

Beyond the adorable photos, the team also collected duiker droppings. Yes, droppings. These tiny biological treasures could unlock genetic secrets, helping scientists determine if the Pemba blue duiker is a distinct subspecies from its mainland African relatives. It’s a bit like a paternity test, but for an entire population of tiny, shy antelopes.

Scientists are still debating whether these duikers were introduced to Pemba over a century ago or if they're a natural, isolated population that's been doing its own thing for thousands of years. Either way, confirming their unique identity is the next big step for these pint-sized island residents.