Springbok

Identification

The springbok is a slender, long-legged antelope that reaches 71 to 86 cm at the shoulder and weighs between 27 and 42 kg. Both males and females possess a distinctive pair of black horns, 35 to 50 cm long, that curve backwards. The species is easily recognised by its white face marked with a dark stripe running from the eyes to the mouth, a light brown coat featuring a reddish-brown stripe that runs across the flanks from the upper foreleg to the buttocks, and a characteristic white rump flap. The tail, 14 to 28 cm long, ends in a short black tuft.

Range & Habitat

The springbok is found mainly in south and southwestern Africa, inhabiting the dry areas of the region. Three subspecies are recognised, with distributions ranging from southwestern Angola through Namibia and Botswana, and across the arid regions south of the Orange River extending into the Free State and Kimberley. The springbok is the national mammal of South Africa and remains one of the few antelope species with an expanding population, classified by conservation authorities as a least concern species with no major threats to its long-term survival.

Behaviour & Diet

Active mainly at dawn and dusk, springbok form mixed-sex herds known as harems. The species is famous for pronking—a distinctive behaviour in which the antelope performs multiple stiff-legged leaps up to 2 metres above the ground with its back bowed and white rump flap lifted. Historically, springbok of the Kalahari Desert and Karoo migrated in large numbers across the countryside in a practice known as trekbokking.

Primarily a browser, the springbok feeds on shrubs and succulents and has a remarkable adaptation: it can live without drinking water for years, obtaining its moisture requirements from succulent vegetation. Breeding occurs year-round with peaks during the rainy season when forage is most abundant. A single calf is born after a five- to six-month pregnancy, weans at nearly six months, and leaves its mother a few months later.

Best Time & Places to See It

Springbok are most active during dawn and dusk, making these the optimal times for wildlife observation and photography. They are widely distributed across south and southwestern Africa in suitable dry habitats, with populations throughout South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana where they remain relatively common and accessible to travellers.

Photography Tips

The springbok's striking markings—the white face with dark facial stripes, reddish-brown flank stripe, and contrasting white rump—make it a photogenic subject. The most memorable images capture the species' iconic pronking behaviour, when the animal leaps into the air in a stiff-legged posture with its white flap lifted. Photograph during dawn and dusk when the animals are most active, and be patient; pronking is often triggered by alarm or excitement, providing dynamic action shots that showcase this unique behaviour.