The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is a small antelope species that is found in open woodlands and semi-desert areas of Pakistan and India. The species received their name due to the coloration of the mature males, which is primarily black with a white underbelly. This coloration varies greatly from immature males and females who are more reddish-yellow. Male blackbuck have twisted horns that form into a “V” shape.
Wildlife Safari is home to a large herd of blackbuck. The most distinguishable of the group is Ra, a 5-year-old male that stands out among the herd due to his darker coloration. As the male blackbuck at the park become mature and their horns grow, animal care staff put acrylic balls on the tip of each horn. This is to keep the blackbuck from harming others in their herd while sparring or playing as their horns are very pointy and sharp!
Female blackbuck become mature at 15 to 16 months old. Their gestation lasts from 5 to 6 months and then they give birth to one calf that weighs around 8 to 9 pounds. All blackbuck are herbivores, meaning they eat only plants. They are ruminants, which means they have a specialized digestive system that allows them to obtain essential nutrients from the plants they consume.
When I began my internship at Wildlife Safari I met Dayami, a 5-year-old female blackbuck with a small yellow tag in her left ear. She stood out to me among the crowd due to her persistence in chasing my car down so she could get the most feed cup food from me. She sure does love her feed cup food! It is because of her feistiness that I fell in love with blackbuck.
One of our female blackbuck “Dayami”
Come by soon and visit our blackbuck herd in the Asia section at Wildlife Safari!
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