BLACKBUCK
Class: Mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Antelope
Species: Cervicapra
Geographic distribution: India
Habitat: Grassy plains and open woodlands
Height: 60 to 80 cm at the shoulder
Longevity: 12 to 16 years
Weight: 50 kg
Sexual maturity: 1 to 2 years years
Gestation: 6 months
Litter: 1 pup
Diet: Herbivore, grasses, leaves, fruits, flowers
Protection Status: IUCN Status CR – Least Concern
Description
The blackbuck is an extremely fast animal, capable of reaching speeds of up to 80 km/h and leaping 2 meters high and 6 meters long to escape predators. It lives in herds of 5 to 50 individuals, made up of adominant male, females and their young. Adult males, recognizable by their black coats and spiral horns measuring up to 70 cm, remain on the sidelines before challenging the others to dominate a harem.
Threats and preservation
The blackbuck, once widespread on the Indian subcontinent, is now seriously threatened by over-hunting and habitat destruction. It has disappeared from Pakistan and Bangladesh, and is now foundonly in India, where it is protected in several reserves.
