Tuesday, October 25, 2016

THE PANTROPICAL SPOTTED DOLPHINS

The pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) is a species of dolphin found in all the world's temperate and tropical oceans. The species was beginning to come under threat due to the killing of millions of individuals in tuna purse seines. In the 1980s, the rise of "dolphin-friendly" tuna capture methods saved millions of the species in the eastern Pacific Ocean and it is now one of the most abundant dolphin species in the world.

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 Taxonomy

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The species was first described by John Gray in 1846. Gray's initial analysis included the Atlantic spotted dolphin in this species. They are now regarded as separate. Both the genus and specific names come from Latin words meaning thin or thinning.
Three subspecies are recognised in Rice's 1998 survey of cetacean taxonomy.[citation needed] Two of these have not been formally named.
S. a. subspecies A, the off-shore form found in the eastern Pacific
S. a. subspecies B, a form found around the Hawaiian Islands
S. a. graffmani, a coastal form found from Mexico to Peru
S. a. attenuata.

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 Description

Pantropical spotted dolphins porpoising
The pantropical spotted dolphin varies significantly in size and coloration throughout its range. The most significant division is between coastal and pelagic varieties. The coastal form is larger and more spotted. (These two forms have been divided into subspecies only in eastern Pacific populations).
Spots are key defining characteristics in adults, though immature individuals are generally uniformly colored and susceptible to confusion with the bottlenose dolphin. Populations around the Gulf of Mexico may be relatively spot-free even in adulthood. In the Atlantic, confusion is possible with the Atlantic spotted dolphin.
Broadly speaking, the dolphin has a long, thin beak. The upper and lower jaws are darkly colored, but are separated by thin, white "lips". The chin, throat, and belly are white to pale grey with a limited number of spots. The flanks are separated into three distinct bands of color — the lightest at the bottom, followed by a thin, grey strip in the middle of the flank, and a dark-grey back. The tall concave dorsal fin is similarly colored. The thick tail stock matches the color of the middle band.
The pantropical spotted dolphin is very active and is prone to making large, splashy leaps from the sea. It is a common breacher and will often clear the water for a second or more. Bow-riding and other play with boats is common.
In the eastern Pacific, the dolphin is often found swimming with yellowfin tuna (hence the problem with dolphin deaths caused by tuna fishing). However, they do not feed on that fish. In fact, the two species have similar diets of small epipelagic fish. In other areas, the species may also feed on squid and crustaceans.
Birth length is 80–90 cm. Adults are about 2.5 m long and weigh 120 kg. Sexual maturity is reached at 10 years in females and 12 years in males. The average lifespan is around 40 years.

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Population and distribution

The pantropical spotted dolphin, as its name implies, is found across all tropical and subtropical waters around the world — roughly speaking all oceans and seas between 40°N and 40°S. The total world population is in excess of three million — the second-most abundant cetacean after the bottlenose dolphin — of which two million are found in the eastern Pacific. However, this represents a decrease from at least 7 million since the 1950s.
Centres of highest population density are the shallow warmest waters (water temperature in excess of 25 °C). They also tend to concentrate where a high temperature gradient is found.
Appearances of vagrancy in the Levantine Basin of the Mediterranean Sea through Suez Canal is expected.[9]

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Human interaction

Dolphin swimming ahead of the NOAA Ship Rude
The pantropical spotted dolphin's propensity for associating with tuna, particularly in the eastern Pacific, has in recent history been a very real danger. In the 1960s and 1970s, fishermen would capture thousands of dolphin and tuna at once using purse seine nets. The dolphins all died. Over a period of about 25 years, 75% of this region's population, and over half the world's total were wiped out. The issue has received wide public attention. Many major supermarkets have found it economically expedient to use tuna suppliers whose fisherman catch tuna by more discriminatory means, and thus advertise their tuna product as dolphin-friendly. Some such products are approved by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Trust.[10]
Negative impacts from fishing activities remain, despite broad "dolphin safe" practices. Instead of reducing numbers through direct mortalities, fishing activities have disrupted the reproductive output of the northeastern pantropical spotted dolphin. The fishing had a negative impact on calf survival rates and/or birth rates. This could be caused when fishing operations separate mothers from their suckling calves, interfere with the conception or gestation of calves, or a combination of the two.[11]

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Conservation

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 The eastern tropical Pacific and Southeast Asian populations of the pantropical spotted dolphin are listed in Appendix II[12] of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). As the pantropical spotted dolphin can be divided into three subspecies, studies of these distinct populations would be needed to assess conservation efforts.[13]
In addition, the pantropical spotted dolphin is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Conservation of the Manatee and Small Cetaceans of Western Africa and Macaronesia (Western African Aquatic Mammals MoU) and the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MoU).[14]





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THE COMMON PIPISTRELLE BAT

The common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) is a small pipistrelle bat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, southwestern Asia, and possibly into Korea.[clarification needed] It is one of the most common bat species in the British Isles.
In 1999, the common pipistrelle was split into two species on the basis of different-frequency echolocation calls. The common pipistrelle uses a call of 45 kHz, while the soprano pipistrelle echolocates at 55 kHz. Since the two species were distinguished, a number of other differences, in appearance, habitat and food, have also been discovered.
Pipistrellus pipistrellus in flight
Pipistrellus pipistrellus baby

 

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Description

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The common pipistrelle is the smallest bat found in Europe. It is 3.5–5.2 cm (1.4–2.0 in) long along the head-and-body, with the tail adding 2.3–3.6 cm (0.91–1.42 in). The body mass can range from 3.5 to 8.5 g (0.12 to 0.30 oz), with the wingspan ranging from 18 to 25 cm (7.1 to 9.8 in).[2] Its brown fur is variable in tone. It is common in woodland and farmland but is also found in towns, where the females roost in lofts and buildings when rearing young.







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Saturday, October 15, 2016

THE ATLANTIC WHITE - SIDED DOLPHINS

The Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) is a distinctively coloured dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

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Taxonomy

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The Atlantic white-sided dolphin was named by John Edward Gray in 1828. The specific name acutus comes from the Latin for 'pointed' and refers to the sharply pointed dorsal fin. L. acutus is one of six oceanic dolphins in the genus Lagenorhynchus.

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Description


An Atlantic white-sided dolphin off the coast of Cape Ann, Massachusetts
The dolphin is slightly larger than most other oceanic dolphins. It is just over a meter in length at birth, growing to about 2.8 m (9.2 ft) (males) and 2.5 m (8.2 ft) (females) at maturity. It weighs 200–230 kg (440–510 lb) once fully-grown. Females reach sexual maturity at between 6 and 12 years, and males between 7 and 11 years. The gestation period is 11 months and lactation lasts for about a year and a half — both typical figures for dolphins. Individuals are known to live for up to 22 years (males) and 27 years (females).
The key distinguishing feature is the white to pale yellow patch found behind the dorsal fin of the dolphin on each side. This colour variation is unique amongst the mixtures of white, greys and blues of other pelagic cetaceans. The rest of the body's coloration is well demarcated: the chin, throat and belly are white; the flippers, dorsal fin and back are dark grey to black with the exception of the yellow patch; there is a further white patch below the dorsal fin, lying above a light grey stripe that runs from the beak, above the eye and down to the tail stock.
Dolphin group sizes vary by location, with groups averaging 60 in number close to the Newfoundland shores, but rather smaller east of Iceland. From the analysis of the stomach contents of stranded animals, fish such as herring and mackerel and squid appear to form the species' main diet. The Atlantic white-sided dolphin is fairly acrobatic and keen to interact with boats, however it is not as wildly gregarious as the white-beaked and common dolphins.

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 Population and distribution

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The species is endemic to the North Atlantic Ocean. Areas of particularly high population density include the shores of Newfoundland and Cape Cod, the triangular area of sea between the United Kingdom, Iceland and Greenland and the North Sea. The total population is believed to be 200-300,000 individuals. In 2008, sightings of Atlantic white-sided dolphins as well as the Melon-headed whale were documented in South Carolina after a few stranding had taken place in the area at the time.[2]

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 Human interaction

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Historically, Atlantic white-sided dolphins were killed in drives conducted from Norway and Newfoundland. These have ceased in recent years, although they still occur to a lesser extent from the Faroe Islands, where the meat and blubber are in high regard as food.[3]
Reported catches in the years from 1995 to 1998 were 157, 152, 350, and 438, respectively (Bloch and Olsen 1998, 1999; Bloch et al. 1997, 2000). In 2002, the number reported killed was 774.[3]
No pods have been killed in the 17 northern islands since 2006, when in total 617 white-sided dolphins were killed in 8 different drive hunts. Since then, white-sided dolphins have been killed in 3 individual drives, with 100, 14 and 430 (respectively in 2009, 2010 and 2013) all at the same single beach of Hvalba on the southern island Suðuroy.[4]
While perhaps not legally, then practically, whole pods of white-sided dolphins are pretty much protected now in the wast majority of the whaling districts, and only individuals which are together with larger pods of pilot whales are likely to get killed.

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Conservation


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The North and Baltic Sea populations of the Atlantic white-sided dolphin are listed on Appendix II [5] of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). They are listed on Appendix II[5] as they have an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organised by tailored agreements.[6]
In addition, the Atlantic white-sided dolphin is covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS).[7]


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Tuesday, October 11, 2016

THE BLACK BUCK

The blackbuck (pronounced /ˈblak-ˌbək/; Antilope cervicapra), also known as the Indian antelope, is an antelope found in India and Nepal. The blackbuck is the sole extant member of the genus Antilope. The species was described and given its binomial name by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Two subspecies are recognised. It stands up to 74 to 84 cm (29 to 33 in) high at the shoulder. Males weigh 20–57 kilograms (44–126 lb), an average of 38 kilograms (84 lb). Females are lighter, weighing 20–33 kilograms (44–73 lb) or 27 kilograms (60 lb) on an average. The long, ringed horns, 35–75 centimetres (14–30 in) long, are generally present only on males, though females may develop horns as well. The white fur on the chin and around the eyes is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face. The coat of males shows two-tone colouration: while the upper parts and outsides of the legs are dark brown to black, the underparts and the insides of the legs are all white. On the other hand, females and juveniles are yellowish fawn to tan.
The blackbuck is a diurnal antelope (active mainly during the day). Three kinds of groups, typically small, are the female, male and bachelor herds. Males often adopt lekking as a strategy to garner females for mating. While other males are not allowed into these territories, females often visit these places to forage. The male can thus attempt mating with her. Herbivores, blackbuck graze on low grasses, occasionally browsing as well. Females become sexually mature at eight months, but mate no earlier than two years. Males mature later, at one-and-a-half years. Mating takes place throughout the year. Gestation is typically six months long, after which a single calf is born. The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years.
The blackbuck inhabits grassy plains and slightly forested areas. Due to their regular need of water, they prefer areas where water is perennially available.
The antelope is native to and found mainly in India, while it is extinct in Bangladesh. Formerly widespread, only small, scattered herds are seen today, largely confined to protected areas. During the 20th century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation. The blackbuck has been introduced in Argentina and the United States. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) lists the blackbuck as Near Threatened. In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The blackbuck has significance in Hinduism; Indian and Nepali villagers do not harm the antelope.


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Etymology

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The scientific name of the blackbuck is Antilope cervicapra. Its generic name stems from the Latin word antalopus ("horned animal").[2][3] The specific name cervicapra is composed of the Latin words cervus ("deer") and capra ("she-goat").[2][4] The vernacular name "blackbuck" (pronounced /ˈblak-ˌbək/) is a reference to the dark brown to black colour of the dorsal (upper) part of the coat of the male.[5] The earliest recorded use of this name dates back to 1850.[6] Alternative names for the blackbuck are "Indian antelope",[7] kadiyal, kala hiran, krishna mrig and krishnasaar (in Hindi); krishna jinka (in Telugu); and iralai maan (in Tamil).[8][9][10]

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 Taxonomy and evolution

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The blackbuck is the sole member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae. The species was described and given its binomial name by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae in 1758.[11][12] Antilope also includes fossil species, such as A. subtorta, A. planicornis, and A. intermedius.[13]
Antilope, Eudorcas, Gazella and Nanger form a clade within their tribe Antilopini. A 1995 study of the detailed karyotype of Antilope suggested that within this clade, Antilope is closest to the Gazella group.[14] A 1999 phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Antilope is the closest sister taxon to Gazella,[15] although an earlier phylogeny, proposed in 1976, placed Antilope as sister to Nanger.[16] In a more recent revision of the phylogeny of Antilopini on the basis of sequences from multiple nuclear and mitochondrial loci in 2013, Eva Verena Bärmann (of the University of Cambridge) and colleagues reexamined the phylogenetic relationships and found Antilope and Gazella to be sister genera distinct from the sister genera Nanger and Eudorcas.[17][18]


Gazella



Cuvier's gazelle


Rhim gazelle



Sand gazelle




Chinkara


Goitered gazelle






Mountain gazelle


Speke's gazelle



Dorcas gazelle



Antilope Blackbuck


Two subspecies are recognised,[19][20] although they might be independent species:[21]
  • A. c. cervicapra (Linnaeus, 1758) : Known as the southeastern blackbuck. Occurs in southern, eastern and central India. The white eye ring of the male is narrow above the eye and the leg stripe is well defined and reaches all along the leg.
  • A. c. rajputanae Zukowsky, 1927 : Known as the northwestern blackbuck. Occurs in northwestern India. Males have a grey sheen to the dark parts during the breeding season. The white eye ring is broad all around the eye with the leg-stripe going only down to the shanks.

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Genetics

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The blackbuck shows variation in its diploid chromosome number. Males have 31-33 while females have 30-32. Males have a XY1Y2 sex chromosome.[21][22] Unusually large sex chromosomes had earlier been described only in a few species, all of which belonged to Rodentia. However, in 1968, a study found that two artiodactyls, the blackbuck and the sitatunga, too showed this abnormality. Generally the X chromosome constitutes 5 percent of the haploid chromosomal complement; but the X chromosome of the blackbuck this percentage is 14.96. Portions of both peculiarly large chromosomes show delayed replication.[23]
A 1997 study found lower protein polymorphism in Antilope in comparison with Antidorcas, Eudorcas and Gazella. This was attributed to a history of rapid evolution of an autapomorphic phenotype of Antilope. This might have been aided by a particularly strong selection of a few dominant males due to its lekking behaviour.[24]

 

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Description

Blackbuck – male and female
Male 
Female 
The blackbuck is a moderately sized antelope. It stands up to 74 to 84 cm (29 to 33 in) high at the shoulder; the head-to-body length is nearly 120 cm (47 in).[12] In the population introduced to Texas, males weigh 20–57 kilograms (44–126 lb), an average of 38 kilograms (84 lb). Females are lighter, weighing 20–33 kilograms (44–73 lb) or 27 kilograms (60 lb) on an average.[25] Sexual dimorphism is prominent, as males are heavier and darker than the females.[25] The long, ringed horns, that resemble corkscrews, are generally present only on males, though females may develop horns as well. They measure 35–75 centimetres (14–30 in), though the maximum horn length recorded in Texas has not exceeded 58 centimetres (23 in). The horns diverge forming a "V"-like shape.[25] In India, horns are longer and more divergent in specimens from the northern and western parts of the country.[20]
The white fur on the chin and around the eyes is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face. The coat of males shows two-tone colouration: while the upper parts and outsides of the legs are dark brown to black, the underparts and the insides of the legs are all white. Darkness typically increases as the male ages.[26] On the other hand, females and juveniles are yellowish fawn to tan.[26] In Texas, blackbuck moult in spring, following which the males look notably lighter, though darkness persists on the face and the legs.[25] On the contrary, males will grow darker as the breeding season approaches.[26] Both melanism[27] and albinism have been observed in wild blackbuck. Albino blackbuck are often zoo attractions as in the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (Andhra Pradesh, India).[28]
Blackbuck bear a close resemblance to gazelles, and are distinguished mainly by the fact that while gazelles are brown in the dorsal parts, blackbuck develop a dark brown or black colour in these parts.[5]

Ecology and behaviour


A herd of blackbuck
The blackbuck is a diurnal antelope (active mainly during the day), though activity slows down at noon as days grow hotter toward summer.[12] Three kinds of typically small groups – the female herds, territorial males and bachelor males.[25] A study discovered that group sizes often fluctuate; membership is often dictated by availability of forage and the nature of the habitat. Large herds have an edge over smaller ones in that danger can be detected faster, though individual vigilance is lower in the former. Greater time is spent in feeding by large herds. A disadvantage for large herds, however, is that traveling requires more resources.[29] A study found that herd size reduces in summer.[9] Fast animals, the blackbuck can run at as high as 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph).[12]
Males often adopt lekking as a strategy on the part of males to garner females for mating. Territories are established by males on the basis of the local distribution of female groups, which in turn is determined by the habitat, so as to ensure greater access to females.[30] The males actively defend resources in their territories, nearly 1.2 to 12 hectares (3.0 to 29.7 acres) in size;[25] territories are marked with scent (using preorbital gland and interdigital gland secretions, faeces and urine)[31][32] While other males are not allowed into these territories, females are allowed to visit these places to forage. The male can attempt mating with visiting females. Lekking is a demanding strategy, as the males often have to bear injuries – thus it is a tactic typically adopted by strong, dominant males. Males may either defend their mates or try to forcibly copulate with them. Weaker males, who may not be dominant, might choose the second method.[33]
Blackbuck are severely affected by natural calamities such as floods and droughts, from which they can take as long as five years to recover.[34] Wolves are major predators;[35] a study found that old rutting bulls might be vulnerable to wolves.[34] Cheetahs and pariah dogs are the other predators.[5] Juveniles are also hunted by jackals. Village dogs are reported to kill fawns, but are unlikely to successfully hunt and kill adults.[36]

Diet


Blackbuck prefer grasses.
Being herbivores, blackbuck graze on low grasses, occasionally browsing as well. They prefer sedges, fall witchgrass, mesquite, and live oak. They have occasionally been observed browsing on acacia trees in the Cholistan Desert.[37] Oats and berseem were found to be palatable and nutritious to captive populations in a study.[38] A study in the Velavadar Black Buck Sanctuary (Gujarat, India) showed that Dichanthium annulatum comprised 35 percent of their diet. Digestion of nutrients, especially crude proteins, was poor in summer, but more efficient in the rainy and winter seasons. Consequently crude protein intake in summer was very low, even below the recommended value. Blackbuck had a lower food consumption in summer. The fruits of Prosopis juliflora are often eaten, and blackbuck may play a role in their dispersal.[39] Prosopis becomes a significant food item if grasses are scarce.[40] Water is a daily requirement of the blackbuck.[1]

Reproduction


Courtship display in blackbuck
Females become sexually mature at eight months, but mate no earlier than two years. Males mature later, at one-and-a-half years. Mating takes place throughout the year; peaks occur during spring and fall in Texas.[25] Two peaks have been observed in India: from August to October and from March to April.[9] Rutting males aggressively establish and defend their territories from other males, giving out loud grunts and engaging in serious head-to-head fights, pushing each other using horns.[12] Aggressive display consists of thrusting the neck forward and raising it, folding the ears and raising the tail. The dominant male pursues the female with his nose pointing upward, smells her urine and shows a flehmen response. The female shows her receptivity by waving her tail and thumping the hindlegs on the ground. This is followed by several mounting attempts, and copulation. The whole process may last as long as six hours. The female will remain still for some time after copulation, following which she may start grazing. The male may then move on to mate with another female.[9][41]
Gestation is typically six months long,[42] after which a single calf is born.[25] Newborn are a light yellow; infant males may have a black patch on the head and the neck.[9] Young are precocial - they can stand on their own soon after birth.[12] Females can mate again after a month of parturition.[25] Juveniles remain active and playful throughout the day. Juvenile males turn black gradually, darkening notably after the third year.[9] The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years.[5][25]

Habitat and distribution


Blackbuck prefer grassy plains.
The blackbuck inhabits grassy plains and thinly forested areas. Scrublands are a good source of forage and cover.[26] Due to their regular need for water, they prefer areas where perennial water sources are available. Though sedentary, blackbuck may travel long distances to obtain water.[1] Cold climates do not suit the blackbuck.[26] In the Indian subcontinent, blackbuck can also be found in deserts (in the northwestern region), coastal areas, mountains (in the northern-northeastern region).[1][25]
The antelope is native to and found mainly in India, while it is extinct in Bangladesh.[1] Today, only small, scattered herds are seen, largely confined to protected areas.[43] English naturalist William Thomas Blanford, in his 1891 The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, described the range of the blackbuck in those times as:[11]

Blackbuck in the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary (Karnataka, India)
Along the base of the Himalayas from the Punjab to Nepal, and probably in most parts of the Peninsula where the country is wooded and hilly, but not in dense jungle ... it is common in the wooded parts of Rajputana, throughout the Bombay Presidency, the Central Provinces, and the northern parts of Madras, less abundant to the eastward in Chhattisgarh, Chutia Nagpur [sic], Bengal and Orissa, and to the southward in Mysore, but it occurs in the latter state occasionally, and has been observed on the Nilgiri and Palni hills. It is unknown in Ceylon and east of the Bay of Bengal.

Pair of blackbucks in Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary (Maharashtra, India)
In Nepal, the last surviving population of blackbuck is found in the Blackbuck Conservation Area south of the Bardia National Park. In 2008, the population was estimated at 184.[44] In Pakistan, blackbuck occasionally occur along the border with India and a captive population is maintained in the Lal Suhanra National Park.[37] The antelope was introduced in Texas in the Edwards Plateau in 1932. By 1988, the population had increased and the antelope was the most populous exotic animal in Texas after the chital.[25][45] As of early 2000s, the population in the United States has been estimated at 35,000. Blackbuck have been introduced into Argentina, numbering about 8,600 individuals (as of the early 2000s).[37]

Royalty hunting blackbuck with Asiatic cheetah in South Gujarat, 1812

Threats and conservation

During the 20th century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation. Some blackbucks are killed illegally especially where they are sympatric with nilgai.[1] Until India's independence in 1947, blackbuck and chinkara were hunted in many princely states with specially trained captive Asiatic cheetahs.[43] By the 1970s, blackbuck were extinct in several areas.[46] Nevertheless, populations in India have increased from 24,000 in the late 1970s to 50,000 in 2001[citation needed]. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) lists the blackbuck as Near Threatened.[1] CITES (Washington Convention) lists the blackbuck under Appendix III (Nepal).[19]
In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.[10][47] They occur in several protected areas of India, including: Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary (Bihar); Gir Forest National Park[48] and Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat); Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary (Karnataka); Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary (Maharashtra); National Chambal Sanctuary, Ranthambhore National Park[49] and Tal Chhapar Sanctuary (Rajasthan); Guindy National Park, Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary and Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary[50] (Tamil Nadu).[1][37]

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Interaction with human beings

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The blackbuck has associations with the Indian culture. The antelope might have been a source of food in the Indus Valley civilisation (3300–1700 BCE); bone remains have been discovered in sites such as Dholavira[51] and Mehrgarh.[52] The blackbuck is routinely depicted in miniature paintings of the Mughal era (16th to 19th centuries) depicting royal hunts often using cheetahs.[53][54][55] Villagers in India and Nepal generally do not harm the blackbuck.[56] Tribes such as the Bishnois revere and care for most animals including the blackbuck.[10][57] The blackbuck has been declared as the state animal of Andhra Pradesh.[8]
The animal is mentioned in Sanskrit texts as the krishna mrig.[10] According to Hindu mythology, the blackbuck draws the chariot of Lord Krishna.[56] The blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of Vayu (the wind god), Soma (the divine drink) and Chandra (the moon god).[10] In Tamil Nadu, the blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of the Hindu goddess Korravai.[57] In Rajasthan, the goddess Karni Mata is believed to protect the blackbuck.[57]
In the Yājñavalkya Smṛti, Sage Yagyavalkya is quoted stating "in what country there is black antelope, in that Dharma must be known", which is interpreted to mean that certain religious practices including sacrifices were not to be performed where blackbuck did not roam.[58][59]
The hide of the blackbuck (krishnajina in Hindi) is deemed to be sacred in Hinduism. According to the scriptures, it is to be sat upon only by brahmins (priests), sadhus and yogis (sages), forest-dwellers and bhikshus (mendicants).[57][60] Blackbuck meat is highly regarded in Texas.[61] In an analysis, blackbuck milk was found to have 6.9% protein, 9.3% fat, and 4.3% lactose.[62]
In some agricultural areas in northern India, the blackbuck are found in large numbers and raid crop fields.[63] However, the damage caused by blackbuck is far lower than that caused by the nilgai.[64][65]
Blackbuck as a heraldry symbol of some princely states of India
Jaisalmer coat of arms 
Jaora coat of arms 
Malerkotla coat of arms 
Nawanagar coat of arms 
Radhanpur coat of arms 
Samthar coat of arms