Wildlife of the World
Puzzle 09 · African Plains and Floodplains · Page 21 in print
Springbok Herds
Springbok can bound upward on stiff legs with their backs arched, a display called pronking; these antelopes inhabit the dry open country of southern Africa.
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A springbok's dark flank stripe contrasts with its pale belly.
Species reference for Springbok Herds. The photograph does not necessarily show the population or place named in the puzzle.
(c) scaup, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
A small group of springbok moves across dusty ground.
Species reference for Springbok Herds. The photograph does not necessarily show the population or place named in the puzzle.
(c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
The words
Cheetah
Cheetahs are major predators of adult springbok.
Dorsal Fold
A fold of skin along the back opens in excitement to show a crest of white hair.
Emblem
The springbok was long South Africa's sporting emblem. By 2004 the King Protea had replaced it for national teams. Rugby alone kept the springbok, though in 2008 it agreed to move the emblem off the jersey's heart.
Animal Diversity Web (opens a new tab) · Mail & Guardian (2004): Springbok emblem (opens a new tab) · RNZ (2008): Springbok jersey change (opens a new tab) · Wikipedia: Springbok colours (opens a new tab)
Etosha
Springbok in Etosha National Park, Namibia, seek out water.
Flowers
In the hot, dry season springbok eat flowers, which hold twice the water of grass.
Jackal
Black-backed jackals target young springbok.
Karoo
The dry Karoo region of South Africa.
In the 1800s massive springbok herds trekked across the arid plains of the Great Karoo.
Lion
Lions prey on adult springbok.
Lyre Horns
Both sexes have black, curved, lyre-shaped horns.
Namibia
The springbok lives mainly in Namibia, Botswana, Angola and South Africa.
Pronking
The springbok's stiff-legged leaps are called pronking.
Rutting
Rutting springbok males hold territories and court females.
Stampede
A headlong rush of a huge herd.
Trekking springbok herds, sometimes millions strong, stampeded over the Karoo plains.
Trek
A mass movement of springbok; historic accounts describe enormous herds travelling across southern African country.
Veld
The open grass and scrub country of southern Africa provides habitat for springbok herds.
Farmer's Weekly (opens a new tab) · Animal Diversity Web (opens a new tab)
Sources
- Springbok Herds (source capture)Wikipedia
- Springbok Herds (source capture)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- Springbok Herds (source capture)Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
- Springbok Herds (source capture)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- SA rugby will retain Springbok emblemMail & Guardian
- Changes to Springbok jerseyRNZ
- Springbok coloursWikipedia