   #copyright

Bontebok

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Mammals

                    iBontebok
   Bontebok in the Cape Peninsula National Park
   Bontebok in the Cape Peninsula National Park

                             Conservation status

   Conservation dependent (LR/cd)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom:   Animalia
   Phylum:    Chordata
   Class:     Mammalia
   Order:     Artiodactyla
   Family:    Bovidae
   Subfamily: Alcelaphinae
   Genus:     Damaliscus
   Species:   D. pygargus

                                Binomial name

   Damaliscus pygargus

                                 Subspecies

   Damaliscus pygargus pygargus
   Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi

   The Bontebok is an antelope found in South Africa and Lesotho. The
   Bontebok has two subspecies; the Bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus
   pygargus), occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of
   the Western Cape, and the Blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi)
   occurring in the highveld.

   The Bontebok stands 80 to 100 centimetres at the shoulder and weighs 50
   to 90 kilograms. The Bontebok is a chocolate brown colour, with a white
   underside and a white stripe from the forehead to the tip of the nose,
   although there is a brown stripe across the white near the eyes in most
   Blesbok. Bontebok also has a distinctive white patch around its tail
   (whence the latin name), while this patch is light brown/tan in
   Blesbok. The horns of Bontebok are lyre-shaped and clearly ringed they
   are found in both sexes and can reach a length of half a metre.

   Blesbok live in highveld where they eat short grasses, while Bontebok
   are restricted to coastal Fynbos and Renosterveld (Skead 1980). They
   are diurnal, though they rest during the heat of the day. Herds contain
   only males, only females or are mixed and do not exceed forty animals
   for Bonteboks or seventy for Blesboks.

   Bontebok are not good jumpers but they are very good at crawling under
   things. Mature males form territories and face down other males in
   displays and occasionally combat.

   Bontebok were killed as pests and were reduced to seventeen animals in
   the wild but have recovered. Blesbok are extinct in their natural
   habitat but they have increased in population to the point where they
   are now farmed.

   Binder Park Zoo

                  in the Bontebok N.P., South Africa

                                                    Baby Bontebok
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bontebok"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
