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Springbok
Antidorias Marsupialis
-33.4397, 25.9675
Field Notes
Description:
This gazelle derives its name, Springbok, from its “pronking” (jumping) behaviour. “Pronking” is the behaviour these animals exhibit when they are fleeing from a predator. The springbok jump high and far, a display that gives the predator a chance to make an appropriate “selection”. The choice will obviously fall on the weakest animal in the herd. This process ensures the survival of the fittest and therefore the success of the species. The Springbok is a medium-sized antelope. Males weigh about 50 kilograms and females 37 kilograms. Males stand 75 cm high at the shoulder and females are slightly shorter. Their colour is light brown with a very dark brown stripe on the flanks. Both males and females have horns
Habitat:
Eastern Cape, SA. The habitat of these antelopes is dry semi desert and they range widely in the semi-desert Karoo. Springbok feed on a variety of vegetation. In summer when grass is plentiful they graze. They also browse on leaves, fruit and flowers. When food is scarce, they have been observed to dig for roots and bulbs of plants. They absorb water from certain plants and from fruit such as melons. Springbok do not have, a specific breeding season but have periods of mating called the rut. Calves are born in the cover of bush after a gestation period of 25 weeks and are introduced to the herd after two days.
Springbok move in large herds, which comprise males and females. Territorial males do not form part of these herds. Instead, they wait for a herd to move into their territory and they then mate with receptive females.
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