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Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi (Blesbok)
blesbok [Afrikaans]; Blessbock [German]; blesbok [French]; inoni [isiNdebele]; ilinqa
[isiXhosa]; inoni [isiZulu]; nônê [Sepedi] [Setswana]; nônê, nônô [Sesotho];
liloni [siSwati;]; noni [Xitsonga]
Life
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Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia >
Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) >
Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost
fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class:
Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia
(terrestrial vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota >
Synapsida (mammal-like reptiles) > Therapsida > Theriodontia
> Cynodontia > Mammalia (mammals)
> Placentalia (placental mammals) >
Laurasiatheria > Ferungulata > Cetartiodactyla (even-toed ungulates and cetaceans)
> Ruminantia (ruminants) > Family:
Bovidae (antelopes and buffalo) >
Subfamily: Antilopinae
Blesbok is endemic to the Grassland Biome of
southern Africa where it is a grazer, mainly on shorter grass.
Social structure consists of territorial males, female herds and
bachelor herds but in winter they form into large mixed herds.
Identification
Blesbok is a medium sized antelope similar in
body shape to the other hartebeests and the tsessebe. They have long
pointed heads with lyre shaped horns and the shoulder is higher than
the rump. Blesbok have a reddish-brown body colour, without the high
gloss that is typical of the bontebok’s coat. The distinctive white
blaze on their face is usually broken by a brown band (unlike the
bontebok) between the eyes. The limbs and the rump are pale cream in
colour but rarely white. The ears are a slightly lighter brown than
the rest of the body. The tail is white for about half its length,
the remainder being dark brown with long black hair on the tip. Both
sexes have black horns that are ringed and usually straw-coloured on
the upper surface, the ram’s are thicker than the ewe. Preorbital
glands are present in both sexes but well-developed in the male.
They exude a sticky secretion that makes tear marks down the animals
face. Territorial rams, females, calves and bachelor males all apply
this secretion to grass stems and appear to transfer it back to
their horns from the grass.
Size
Height at shoulder 95 cm; horn length 31
cm; weight 70 kg (male) and 60 kg (female)
Dental formula
I
 C P M =
32
Distribution and habitat
Natural distribution throughout the Grassland
Biome in southern Africa, including the Free State, Eastern Cape,
North West, Guateng, Mpumalanga and the western edge of
Kwazulu-Natal. Habitat preference is for open plateau grassland with
water available.
General behaviour
They are active during the day (diurnal), but
activity levels do drop during the hotter parts of the day. During
the heat of the day blesbok herds characteristically orientate
themselves towards the sun with their heads bowed. Like the bontebok
their social structure consists of territorial males, female herds
and bachelor groups. The territorial males establish and hold a
mosaic of territories, they challenge intruders with displays to
show their dominance. Serious fighting between males is rare,
challenging males may engage in fierce pushing contests where they
drop to their knees with their foreheads close to the ground and
push and feint at each other, occasionally clashing or locking
horns. These mostly ritualized encounters are usually short and the
loser with give up and move off. The males try to hold females
within their territories by courting them. Female herds consist of a
maximum of about 8 animals together, composed of females and their
young. Bachelor herds are much larger and looser groupings
consisting of males of all ages from yearlings to old males. While
they do move through territorial males areas they normally avoid any
challenges and simply move on. Unlike the bontebok the herd
structure does not remain the same throughout the year. In the dry
winter months the home ranges alter as the antelope come together in
large mixed herds.
Food
Blesbok are grazers with a preference for
shorter grass, but they will occasionally browse.
Reproduction
The gestation period is about 240 days. Lambs
are born during November to January, with a peak in December.
Usually single lambs are born but occasionally twins. At birth the
lambs are pale beige to cream in colour and can run with their
mother within 30 minutes of birth. Young males leave their mother
after a year when the next offspring is born, but females will
remain with their mothers as members of the herd, maybe separating
at about 2 years old.
Life span
21 years (in captivity)
Conservation
This species is endemic to South Africa.
Historically they were heavily hunted. They became extinct in
Kwazulu-Natal and their numbers reduced to less than 2000 animals in
the late nineteenth century. With numerous re-introductions and
introductions to areas not previously within their natural range the
population has recovered well. Although their current distribution
is more extensive it is essentially artificial as it is limited to
fenced farms, game-farms, nature reserves and game parks. As they
can cross breed with bontebok and produce fertile offspring it is
important that the populations of the two species are isolated from
each other for effective conservation.
Text by Denise Hamerton |
