English: Blackbuck; French: Antilope cervicapre; Baori: Alali; Behar: Kalsar; Canarese: hoola kerra, chigri; Hindi: Harna, haru, haran, hiran; Hokols: Badu; Korku: Kutsar; Marathi: Phandayet; Nepali: Krishna Sagar, Sar, Sasin; Tamil: Veliman, kavariman, kailman; Moorukoomaran; Telegu: Jinka, Irri; Tirhoot: Kala.
Former distribution: Eastern Pakistan and throughout the Indian subcontinent; not in Sri Lanka.
Present distribution: Eastern Pakistan to the border of India; India from Punjab to Nepal and Bengal, and south to Cape Comorin, main concentration in west Rajasthan; introduced into USA (Texas), Argentina (Province Buenos Aires and Santa Fe); Australia (Geralton District).
Behaviour: Preferred habitat: open, semi-desert grassy plains with thorn, and dry deciduous forests on the low ground; active diurnally and at twilight; gregarious, living in herds of 15-20, occasionally up to several hundreds; diet includes principally grass, occasionally various cereal crops. Predators include cheetahs, dholes and sometimes lions.
Population status: Rare. Estimated numbers: Pakistan several hundreds; India 8000 (1969). Nepal 200.
Brief notes:
Body weight: 35-50 kg
Head and body length: 120-150 cm
Tail length: 15-18 cm
Shoulder height: 73-83 cm
Gestation period: 180 days
Maximum age: 15 years
Trophy: Record SCI: 61 3/8 score, 1968 India, CHARLES BAZZY; average 54 score.
RW’s: 31 3/4″, 1935 India, H.H. The MAHARAJA OF JIND; average 22″.
Hunting methods: Stalking, with beaters, from a hide.
Remarks: Uncontrolled hunting and the destruction of forests has made the Blackbuck rare (Australia 100; Argentina app. 10 000; USA (Texas): no records.
