Species: Antilope cervicapra
Common Name: Blackbuck Antelope
Natural habitat: Blackbuck Antelope are native to the plains and open woodlands of India and Pakistan. Overhunting and habitat destruction has severely depleted their numbers in their native range.
Natural foods: Grasses, leaves, buds, field fruits
Other comments: Females are tan in colour, while mature males are black along the upper portion of the body. All Blackbuck have white eye rings, belly and inner legs. The ringed, corkscrew horns of Blackbuck may grow to reach 31 inches, but in captivity seldom exceed 23 inches. Males weigh 44-125 pounds, while the smaller females weigh in at 44-72 pounds. Blackbuck adapt well to Australian brush land, which provides excellent cover along with clear grassland. Gestation is 5-6 months, giving birth to one young, which weans at 5-6 months. Peak breeding season is March-May and August – October. One of the fastest land mammals, blackbuck have been clocked going in excess of 80 kmph.