Blackbuck

About the Blackbuck-

• The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is also known as the Indian antelope.
• It is a Schedule-1 animal according to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and is considered as ‘Vulnerable’ according to the IUCN Red Data Book.
• It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources.
• It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and was scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
• Males have 35–75 cm long, ringed horns, though females may develop horns as well.
• The white fur on the chin and around the eyes is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face.
• The coats of males show a two-tone colouration – while the upper parts and outsides of the legs are dark brown to black, the underparts and the insides of the legs are white.
• Females and juveniles are yellowish fawn to tan.

• The blackbuck is active mainly during the day.
• It is a herbivore and grazes on low grasses.
• In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• The antelope is native to and found mainly in India, while it is extinct in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• In Nepal, the last surviving blackbuck population inhabits the Blackbuck Conservation Area south of Bardia National Park.
• A few blackbucks are present in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras campus.
• It might have been a source of food in the Indus Valley civilization, whose bone remains have been discovered in sites such as Dholavira and Mehrgarh.
• It is routinely depicted in miniature paintings of the Mughal era.
• It is considered to be the vehicle of Vayu (the wind god), Soma (the divine drink) and Chandra (the moon god).
• In Tamil Nadu, the blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of the Hindu goddess Korravai.
• In Rajasthan, the goddess Karni Mata is believed to protect the blackbuck.

In the Yajnavalkya Smṛiti, Sage Yagyavalkya has quoted that – “in what country there is black antelope, in that Dharma must be known”.