Blesbuck – Common

(Latin = Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi, Afrikaans = Blesbok, German = Blessbock)

Numbers: High
Weight: 60 – 82kg (132 – 180 lb.)
Shoulder height: 95 cm (38 in.)
Females horns: Yes

Found in central South Africa, the highveld areas and thus not abundant in the Northern Province, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, but everywhere else it’s fairly common, especially in the Free State.

Three of the medium to bigger antelopes in South Africa is indigenously found in this country alone: the blesbok, the bontebok and the black wildebeest. Blesbok‚ original Afrikaans meaning is glowing buck, derived from the white face which strongly contrasts to the dark brown and black of the rest of the body. Today, the northern bushveld is home to many blesboks, as is the rest of the country, but at first the blesbok would mostly be found in die grasslands of the highveld. The blesbok doesn’t insist on shelter or trees in his habitat. They are harsh on any misbehaviour of their territorial boundaries and will, especially if it’s mating time, be more than willing to give challenge to opponents or to become a upright flanter of the nearby females. This includes stamping his feet and snorting to the males with his head held high and then pointing his horns backward again and pulling his tail upward towards the females. They do sometimes‚ even if only another one has come too close – kill each other in a fight to the end if a challenger persist.