Mammals
Blesbok
Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi · also called blesboks
Marked by a bold white blaze running the length of its face, a blesbok grazes across open South African grassland today in numbers that would have seemed impossible in the late 1800s, when unregulated hunting nearly wiped the species out entirely.
Overview
The blesbok, Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi, is a grassland antelope native to open grassland and savanna habitat concentrated within South Africa. Its striking facial blaze, ringed horns present on both sexes, and remarkable recovery from near extinction make it one of the most notable conservation success stories among African antelope.
A conservation story built on private land
Unlike many endangered species that depend primarily on government reserves, the blesbok’s recovery was driven largely by private game ranchers who valued the species enough to protect and breed it, a model now often cited as a rare success story in African wildlife conservation.
Status
Least Concern, with tens of thousands now thriving across private game ranches and protected reserves after nearly disappearing in the late 1800s.
Blesbok: common questions
Why is it called the blesbok?
This species has a distinctive white blaze running down its face, a marking that gives the blesbok its common name, from the Afrikaans word "bles" meaning blaze.
How close did the blesbok come to extinction?
This species was reduced to only a small number of individuals by the late 1800s due to unregulated hunting, before recovering almost entirely through private game ranching and protected reserves across South Africa.
Do both male and female blesbok have horns?
Yes, this species has ringed, lyre-shaped horns present on both males and females, curving outward before hooking sharply forward near the tips.
Why does the blesbok stick to open grassland?
This species relies heavily on open grassland with clear sightlines to detect approaching predators early, rarely venturing into the dense cover that would block its view.