THE SPRINGBUCK 



THE SPRINGBUCK 



{Antidorcas marsiipialis) 



Springbok and Pronk-bok of the Boers ; Ibadi of Amaxosa ; 

 Tsipi of Bechuanas ; Itsaypi of Makalakas ; Menya of West 

 African natives. 



The Springbuck, or Springbok, in former times 

 swarmed in great herds over the high, open plains 

 of the Cape Province, Orange Free State, Transvaal 

 and Bechuanaland, but is now very seldom seen 

 except on enclosed farms where they arc preserved. 



On the Springbuck Flats in the Waterberg district 

 of the Transvaal large numbers of these antelopes 

 live and thrive under Government protection. 



In the wild, free or feral state the Springbuck 

 still thrives in South-West Africa, Bechuanaland, 

 and as far north as Benguela in southern Angola 

 on the west, and in the east as far as the Limpopo 

 River. 



On the advent of the Dutch Voortrekkers, the high 

 veld was found to be teeming with countless numbers 

 of Springbucks. Driven from one part of the 

 country by drought, and consequent scarcity of 

 food, they migrated in vast herds of as many as half 

 a million. This vast army would pour from the 

 dry, desert-like high veld of the north-west into the 

 great Karoo-veld, devouring every particle of edible 

 vegetation as they proceeded. So vast was the 

 stream that various other species of animals, including 



91 



