Classic
Moments in the Forest
Indian Peafowl |
Blackbuck |
Elephant |
Spotted
Deer |
Common Langur
Wild Boar |
Indian
Gaur |
Tiger |
Sambar |
Sloth
Bear |
Leopard
Nilgiri Tahr
Photograph by T.N.A. Perumal, F.R.P.S.,
M.F.I.A.P.
Blackbuck or Indian Antelope (Tal chapar, Rajasthan)
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SCIENTIFIC NAME: Antilope cervicapra
» KANNADA NAME: Krishna Mruga
Exclusively Indian, this most elegant of antelopes owes its distinction
to its spectacular long, graceful spiralled horns. The horns of a
full-grown male blackbuck in South India measure about 20" (65
cm.) or more. Females rarely have horns. Whether in silhouette against
the sky or laid against its back in a timeless courtship ritual,
the blackbuck is a naturalist's wonder…and a photographer's
delight. In Karnataka, blackbuck are found at Mydenahalli in Kolar
District and at the Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary.
Blackbuck are found in herds of 20-30, usually led by an older female.
However, herds of several hundreds have been sighted. When alarmed,
the herd moves in a series of leaps and bounds before galloping away
swiftly and smoothly, as if on wheels.
Description: Average size: 32" (80 cm.) at
the shoulder and 90 lb. (40 kg.) in weight. Horns begin to spiral
only in the second year. Coat is yellowish fawn in young and turns
black by the age of three. Blackbuck have keen eyesight and a moderate
sense of smell and hearing. Glands under the eyes and between the
hooves secrete a fluid used as a means of communication.
Habits and habitat: Found in open plains that are covered
with scrub or cultivation. Usually avoid hills or forest tracts.
Natural enemies: Jungle predators like cheetah, wolves, leopards
and jackals; disease and man.
Food: Herbivores (vegetarians), feeding on grass and various
cereal crops. Usually graze till noon and during late afternoons, resting during
the hot hours.
Breeding habits: Breed in all seasons, though main rut is
between Feb. and March. Individual bucks may leave the herd with a favoured
female. A doe gives birth to one or two young.
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