Blackbuck

The blackbuck is a medium-sized antelope with a two-tone coat. In males most of the body is dark brown to black, with white circles around the eyes, white ears, tail, belly, lower jaw and inner legs, and corkscrew horns 35 to 75cm long. Females and juveniles are yellowish-fawn to tan, and females occasionally grow horns too (Wikipedia, general species account).

In southern Nepal, the last surviving population in the Blackbuck Conservation Area was estimated at 184 animals in 2008. Males often use lekking to attract females, who visit their territories to forage, and the species forms female, male and young bachelor herds. A single calf is born after about six months. Hunting, deforestation and habitat loss caused sharp declines in the 20th century. Nationally Critically Endangered (Nepal National Red List 2011).