Springbok

Before numerous fences cut off migration routes in the vast open plains in the arid landscapes of Namibia, springbok used to move together by the thousands to greener pastures once the rainy season had started. It has been recorded that springbok moved past a certain point for more than a day non-stop. These days the only migrations in big numbers can be seen when the small herds of these small antelope congregate and move in big numbers from the eastern part of Etosha National Park to the Groot vlaktes (huge plains) west of Okaukuejo at the start of the rainy season.

Southern African species

Springbok are classified as huntable game in Namibia and are found in National Parks, on commercial farms, in communal land all over the country except in the central northern and north-eastern regions. The species is found naturally, mainly in Namibia and Botswana and arid western parts of South Africa and a small area in south-western Angola.

Springbok are partly grazers preferring short grasses and browsers feeding on leaves, pods and flowers but also dig for roots and feed in dry areas on succulents and melons to satisfy their food and water needs. If water is available, they will drink regularly, but they can go without water for a very long time if necessary, if the right food is available and/or if they can move to a suitable habitat.

Living in herds or single

Springbok live in mixed groups, old and young, male and female or in bachelor groups or females with young of both sexes and males are sometimes single territorial who defend their territory against other males and try to keep female herds as long as possible in their territory. Often the herds are found together with other plains game like Burchell´s zebra and/or blue wildebeest in the open plains. They are active in the morning and late afternoon again. During the heat of the day they stand and rest in the shade of trees while in winter month they often lie on the ground.

Enemies

Springbok are the prey of a number of predators like lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena and even caracal and black-backed jackal. It is sometimes amazing the kind of injuries these antelope weighing 37 to 41 kg do survive. I once saw a young springbok with a huge dry wound on the side with ribs open, grazing with the rest of the herd and moving as if nothing was wrong with. It seemed that the youngster survived the injury caused by a predator.

Often springbok with deformed horns can be seen which most probably is an injury sustained when very young but sometimes rams have broken off part of a horn or of both horns or even a whole horn broken off at the base and dangling next to the head held by the skin.

Pronking

Springbok are famous for their unique way of jumping up in the air several times called pronking. While the legs are stiffly downwards, head down and the back arched they catapult themselves into the air with all four legs at the same time. When pronking, the dorsal fan of long white hair is fully erected, a signal to the rest of the herd. With this behaviour either joy (during the first rains or youngsters playing) or danger is being signalled. Nothing of the long white hair can be seen when walking, feeding or resting. It is hidden in a fold and covered by the short light brown hair except for a small part just above the tail.

Utilization

Every year during the official hunting season Springbok are utilized sustainable as a renewable natural resource by farmers as are other huntable game species. Springbok have also been utilized on a larger scale during night culling to bring the numbers down on commercial farms because there are no or very few natural enemies left. During the “drought of the century” in 1981 when large numbers of different game species perished, the then Directorate of Nature Conservation decided to translocate rare species from the western part of Etosha National Park to the eastern part or other parks in the country and cull some species like oryx and springbok to take the pressure off the last little bit of vegetation left. Close to 2000 animals were culled in Etosha, mainly springbok.

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) classifies the springbok as a least concern species, and it is considered that the population is expanding.

Text and photos by Dirk Heinrich