Unless you’re a South African person, when you hear the name ‘Springbok’, people immediately think of the rugby team. Although they are the world champions, they are not the only springbok found in South Africa. The original, is actually an antelope species and is also the national animal of South Africa. This is where the rugby team got their nickname from. These antelope are certainly not built like your average rugby player. They may be more like a position known as the wing, small and dainty but lightning fast and able to jink and swerve while they run.

Found in South Africa, parts of Botswana, right across Namibia and a small pocket in Angola, these small antelope enjoy the drier, arid regions of Southern Africa. Good news for this antelope is it is one of very few for which there is a long-term increase in their numbers. In this blog we are going to have a closer look at this speedy, beautiful little antelope.

Appearance of this antelope

Often referred to as ‘southern African gazelles’ because of their resemblance to gazelle species found up in East Africa. They do look very similar with their build, striped faces and bands on the flanks. Even the horns are very similar, and like gazelles, you find that both rams and ewes have horns. It is thought that they look similar due to their resemblance to the habitats they both prefer, open grassland or more arid regions.

There are some differences between the two, but they can be very difficult for the untrained eye, or even for the trained eye, unless there is a very close inspection of the animals. Gazelles have quite narrow teeth, whereas springbok have teeth that look like other grazers that feed on coarse, drier grasses. Although the horns look the same, the structure is different, with springbok having hollow cores and gazelles having solid cores in their horns. Looking at the faces of these antelope, springbok have a much broader ridge to their noses and far more muscular cheeks.

Looking at the body of a springbok, the upper parts are a cinnamon-fawn colour, with a black or brown horizontal band on the flanks. The underparts and head are white, but there are two brown streaks that run from the top of the head to the mouth, concealing the eyes. The ears are long and narrow. Both sexes’ horns are heavily ridged and curve inwards at the points. Springbok are well known for their white dorsal crest that is erected when the animal is pronking. When it is not erect, it is hidden beneath two folds of skin along the lower parts of the spine.

Preferred habitat and food

As mentioned earlier on, springbok prefer the more arid regions of Southern Africa. They are also however at home on the plateau of Southern Africa, known as the highveld. This is an area of higher altitude, but known for its grasslands. They are not dependent on water as such, but will drink readily if there is water available to them. For some reason, they do not drink immediately after it rains or in cold weather.

Springbok, much like impala, are mixed feeders, both grazing and browsing. They will spend the wet months of the year grazing and the dry months browsing. They do however avoid the thicker areas and mountainous areas which could impair their eye site. These areas are also not easy for running and so can take their great speed away if they are trying to get away from a predator.

Make up of the herds

During the drier winter months of the year, when there is also less food, they form smaller herds. When the summer rains come however, large herds can form with all the smaller herds coming back together. Much like other grazing antelope, they follow the rains, looking for the nutritional new growth. At these times, they may even form herds of thousands of animals, with mixed sexes and ages all coming together. Rams are territorial at certain times of the year, especially the rutting time but will not stay there all year round.

When it does come to the breeding time (which will depend on the vegetation conditions), rams will be territorial and will try and herd ewes towards their patch. Males will chase females around to keep them within their territory as well. There is usually not a lot of fighting that goes on, but rather the rams defend their territory by advertising their presence. They will have an area within their territory where they will stand so that they are visible to any intruders. They will also have middens that they use.

Outside of the breeding herds, there will always be the bachelor herds. With springbok, this can be from two to more than a hundred rams. Young rams will often be seen sparing with one another as they test their own and one another’s strength. Surprisingly, the ewes are quite aggressive at times and will occasionally stab other springbok with their horns. There will very seldom be any fatalities from fighting. Springbok always seem to be riding themselves from parasites, rubbing themselves with their noses and horns, nibbling themselves and using their hind feet to scratch.

Pronking

Although springbok are not the only animals that pronk (oribi have been seen dong it as well), they are the most famous of the antelope for doing it. Pronking is something spectacular to see. Springbok do it when they are playing, being chased, startled or stressed. It is thought that they do it to show other animals how fit they are and hopefully deter a predator. When they pronk, their legs are pulled stiff, the back is arched with the head down and the white dorsal hair is fanned and raised. The animal springs into the air, with all four feet leaning on the ground at the same time before they spring again. The white dorsal hair is thought to help show the rest of the herd where they are, a follow me sign.

These special little antelope are not as well known as they should be as they are overlooked as another gazelle species. However the more people are doing safari in the more arid regions of Southern Africa, the more they are starting to appreciate this beautiful animal.