blackbuck

blackbuck
/blak"buk"/, n.
a blackish-brown antelope, Antilope cervicapra, of India.
Also, black buck.
[1885-90]

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mammal
      an antelope (family Bovidae (bovid)) indigenous to the plains of India. The blackbuck is an antelope of the same tribe (Antilopini) that includes gazelles (gazelle), the springbok, and the gerenuk. What sets the blackbuck apart from the rest is the adult male's horns (horn), which are long (50–61 cm [20–24 inches], the record being 71.5 cm [28.1 inches]), spirally twisted, V-shaped, and covered with pronounced ridges nearly to the tips. In addition, there is a striking contrast between the black-and-white coloration of mature male blackbucks and the reddish yellow coloration of females and immature males—a much greater contrast than is found in any of the blackbuck's tribal relatives.

      Male blackbucks weigh 34–45 kg (75–100 pounds) and stand 74–88 cm (29–35 inches) at the shoulder. Females are not much smaller, weighing 31–39 kg (68–86 pounds) and having shoulder heights only a few centimetres shorter than the males. Females also have the same white markings as males, including circular eye patches, mouth, underside, inner legs, and rump patch. The only obvious difference between females and immature males is the presence of horns. Even black males, which are most colourful at the end of the monsoon season, begin to fade in midwinter after the annual molt and turn quite brown by early April when hot weather returns. In fact there is one southern Indian population in which the males never turn black. Nevertheless, male blackbucks are still darker than females and immature males.

      Blackbucks are primarily grazers and frequent open short grassland, but they can survive in semidesert where there is sufficient vegetation, and they often frequent nearly barren salt pans. However, they avoid woodland and shrubland. They prefer green grass but browse when grass is sparse. Blackbucks in the semidesert of Rajasthan (Rājasthān) have been observed to drink twice a day. They are active in daytime, tolerate the hottest sun, and seek shade for only two to three hours at midday.

      Blackbuck once lived on open plains over the whole Indian subcontinent, but their numbers and range have been drastically reduced as the human population has grown. The total blackbuck population, estimated at 80,000 in 1947, was down to 8,000 by 1964, but it has since recovered to 25,000 in protected areas. Late in the 19th century, in relatively well-watered savannas (savanna) of East Punjab, aggregations of 8,000–10,000 were reported. Now groups larger than 30–50 are uncommon, consisting of bachelor males, females and young with or without a territorial male, and maternity herds of females guarding concealed young.

      With a six-month gestation period, blackbucks can produce two young a year. Breeding occurs year-round, but the main birth and rutting peaks occur in February and March, with a secondary peak at the end of the monsoon in August and September. Only territorial males breed; they defend properties as small as 8 hectares (20 acres), but they do this for only a few weeks. Rutting bucks pursue and herd females, approaching with prancing steps, a curled tail, and their swollen preorbital glands everted while emitting throaty grunts. Territories are demarcated with dung middens and sticky black preorbital secretions deposited on grass stems and bushes.

      Blackbucks rely mainly on eyesight to avoid capture. Fast as any antelope, the only predator they cannot outrun is the cheetah, which was once used by the Mughals (Mughal Dynasty) for the sport of coursing blackbucks and gazelles. The main predators now—pariah dogs (dog) and jackals (jackal)—feed mainly on fawns.

Richard Estes
 

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • blackbuck — [blak′buk΄] n. a long horned Indian antelope (Antilope cervicapra), brownish black above and white below …   English World dictionary

  • Blackbuck — Taxobox name = Blackbuck status = NT status system = IUCN3.1 status ref = [IUCN2006 | assessors=Mallon, D.P. (Antelope Specialist Group) | year=2003 | id=1681 | title=Antilope cervicapra | downloaded=2008 08 13] trend = stable image width = 200px …   Wikipedia

  • blackbuck — /ˈblækˌbʌk/ (say blak.buk) noun (plural blackbucks, blackbuck) a common antelope of India, Antilope cervicapra, of medium size and blackish brown colour, with spiral horns; Indian antelope. Also, black buck …  

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  • Blackbuck (disambiguation) — Blackbuck can refer to: * Blackbuck, a mammal. * Operation Black Buck, bombing raids during the Falklands War. * Black Buck, a racist epithet for African American men …   Wikipedia

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  • Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar — Parc national de Velavadar Parc national de Velavadar Catégorie II de la CMAP (Parc national) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • blackbuck — noun Date: 1850 an antelope (Antilope cervicapra) native to India and adjacent regions in which the male has spirally twisted horns and a chiefly dark brown coat and the female a chiefly yellowish fawn coat …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • blackbuck — noun An Indian antelope, Antilope cervicapra …   Wiktionary

  • blackbuck — n. blackish brown antelope with long horns native to India …   English contemporary dictionary

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