BONTEBOK 85 
BONTEBOK (Damaliscus pygargus). 
The Bontebok, or Pied Antelope, an extremely near relative of the 
Blesbok, although formerly abounding in tens of thousands on the 
Karroos of Cape Colony and the plains of the Orange Free State, is 
now reduced to a single herd carefully preserved on some flats on the 
estate of Mr. Vander Byl, near Swellendam, in the south of Cape 
Colony. Bonteboks, by the way, have been denizens of the district of 
Swellendam since the days of the earliest European travellers. The 
curious pied marking of the Bontebok, its snow-white face, belly, legs, 
and rump, and the glaze-like, purplish-lilac gloss of the upper part of 
the coat—which may be described as chestnut upon the neck and 
warm purplish-brown upon the body—are very remarkable. The horns 
very nearly resemble those of the Blesbok in shape, but the colour is 
much darker. The Blesbok and Bontebok formerly gave immense 
sport to the Boers and European hunters. Both of these blaze-faced 
antelopes run steadily up-wind, “carrying their broad white noses 
close to the ground like a pack of harriers in full cry.” 
HEIGHT about 3 feet 4 inches. 
Distribution—Closely preserved in Cape Colony. 
