Blackbuck
I.U.C.N status
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Identity card
Grasses, leaves, fruits, flowers.
Did you know?
The blackbuck is an extremely fast animal, capable of reaching 80 km/h and making leaps 2 metres high and 6 metres long to escape predators. It lives in herds of 5 to 50 individuals, made up of a dominant male, females and their young. Adult males, recognisable by their black coat and spiralled horns that can measure up to 70 cm, keep their distance before challenging others to dominate a harem.
Threats and conservation
The blackbuck, once very widespread across the Indian subcontinent, is today seriously threatened by excessive hunting and the destruction of its habitat. It has disappeared from Pakistan and Bangladesh, and is now found only in India, where it is protected in several reserves.
