Blesbuck

Shoulder Height: 95 cm
Average weight: Male 70 kg
Female 60 kg
Gestation: 8 months
Number of young: 1 lamb
Longevity:  12 years
S.C.I. Minimum score: 39"
S.C.I. Record score:   54"
Rowland Ward Minimum Length: 16"
Rowland Ward Record Length: 0   5/8"
Habitat:                                          Open grassland preferred.
The BLESBUCK (Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi) is one of the antelope that are endemic to South Africa, thus found naturally nowhere else in the world.  They are primarily  grassland animal and are very common in the highveld of South Africa and occur in all regions of Namibia, through introduction  Large herds of Blesbuck are common and during winter they can form herds of hundreds of animals.  The males do not keep their territories throughout the year, only from the end of summer, just before the rut, until the beginning of spring when the mating season is over.

The Blesbuck is a grazer that prefers short grass, drink regularly, sometimes twice a day, thus making it difficult to stalk them as they are almost always found in short grass on open grass plains. Blesbuck are generally bright brown in colour, glossed with a purple sheen which changes into a reddish to yellowish brown on shoulders and back.  Adult bucks are generally darker in colour. Their white face marking extends from the horns to the nose being broken by the brown band just above the eyes.  White Blaze on the forehead.  Pale-white buttock patch, tail white at the base, white under parts.  Both sexes carry similar horns but those of the doe are smaller and lighter.