What is a blackbuck?
The blackbuck, or the Antilope Cervicapra, is an endangered deer species found in Northern India and Nepal. Blackbucks were originally also found in Pakistan but were hunted to extinction, and now there are only small populations of them in captivity in very few places.
Male blackbucks , which can be black or brown in colour, are about three feet tall at the shoulder. The females, generally light brown, like the fawns, are slightly smaller. The males have long, spiral horns that can grow up to over two feet.
The average lifespan of a blackbuck is 12 to 16 years and it is one of the fastest animals in the world.
In India, it is protected by the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.