Africa’s Bowhunter – August 2019

Food and water requirements

Springbok are grazers and browsers. Browse makes up the bulk

of their diet during the dry times of the year and grasses during

the wet months. They utilize a wide variety of grasses, forbs and

woody plants. When water is available they will drink through-

out the year at any time of the night or day. They can drink water

with a very high mineral content that is unpalatable to many

other species. They are very partial to mineral licks. They can,

however, during time of drought, get by without water, obtain-

ing enough moisture from their food and especially by grazing

at night when the water content of grass can rise from 8 to 26

percent.

Reproduction

Springbok are not strictly seasonal breeders but there does

appear to be some correlation with rainfall patterns with the first

rains of spring and early summer showing a peak in breeding

activity. A nutritious and abundant food supply will improve the

physiological condition of females and make them come into sea-

son when favourable conditions prevail. They can have young at

any time of the year. The gestation period is 166 – 170 days and

the young lamb weighs approximately 8,4 lbs (3,8 kg). Females

will leave the herds to give birth and will hide young lambs in

dense grass, where they will “freeze” when danger threatens.

They begin nibbling on vegetation after about two weeks and

will then join up with the herd. They are weaned at about two

months. Young lambs often form small nursery groups within

the breeding herds.

Predation and disease

Springbok fall prey to a number of predators and raptors which

Figure 3: Hoof and tracks.

Figure 4: Springbok scat.