African Crafts Market

Facts about this animal

The Springbok is one of South Africa’s most successful game farm animals to breed.

There are some Springbok that are totally black or totally white and then natural hides. These hides have however been dyed to the colour you see. The value of these animals is quite substantial in the private market for trophy hunting.

Traditionally Springbok is one of the top 5 most favorite antelope species hunted by local hunters and is sought after for the tender and tasteful meat as well as for their biltong.

When disturbed, Springbok commence running and bound and leap (repeatedly) into the air with stiff extended legs, with the males or rams raising the hairs of the dorsal crest extending from the back to the tail (the rams). These bounds may reach 2 to 3 meters and this leaping is known as “pronking”. This “pronking” could also be seen when the rams are rutting and defending their territories and female herds against other rams with the intention to impress the females or ewes.

Since the turn of the last century, the Springbok has been and still is the national emblem of the South African Rugby team. The King Protea (South Africa’s National Flower) has been added to the badge during the 1990’s.

• Male (Ram): Can weigh up to about 41 Kilograms
• Female (Ewe): Can weigh up to about 37 Kilograms
• Height: stand 75 cm high
• Life Expectancy: 10 years in the wild
• Diet: Herbivores , Grasses, Leaves.
• They reach speeds of 80 km per hour and jump more than 4 meters

Factsheet

Scientific classification

• Name: Antidorcas marsupialis
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Family: Bovidae
• Subfamily: Antilopinae
• Genus: Antidorcas
• Species: A. marsupialis

Conservation status: Least concern / abundant