Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Springbok

Antidorcas marsupialis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The springbok, also known as the Cape springbok, is an artiodactyl mammal of the subfamily Antilopinae. It is a medium-sized white and brown gazelle that inhabits the savannahs of southern Africa. It is extremely fast, able to reach 88 km/h, and can leap 4 m. The common name 'springbok' comes from the Afrikaans and Dutch words spring, to jump, and bok, a male antelope or goat. They live in Namibia, Angola, Botswana and South Africa.

Weight

27 kg – 48 kg

Size

1.2 m – 1.5 m

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal Savanna Desert Grassland Mammal

10countries 13parks86same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt leaps up to 2 m straight up with its back arched — pronking — and is South Africa's sporting emblem.
It performs pronking: it leaps vertically up to two metres with stiff legs and an arched back, showing a crest of white hair that unfurls from a fold along the spine. Whether this is a fitness signal aimed at predators, an alarm or sheer youthful energy is still debated.
Its historic migrations were among the largest gatherings of mammals ever described: herds of hundreds of thousands of animals were documented taking days to pass a single point in the Karoo.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Arid savannah, semi-desert and the plains of the Kalahari
Sexual maturity: 7 months
Gestation / incubation: 5.5 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidorcas_marsupialis