Blesbok White

The Blesbok, or Blesbuck, (Damaliscus dorcas phillpsi) is related to the Bontebok (Damaliscus dorcas dorcas) and it is purplish antelope with a distinctive white face and forehead. Its white face is the origin of its name, because ‘bles’ is the Afrikaans word for blaze. Although they are close relatives of the Bontebok and they can interbreed creating an animal known as the Bontebles they do not share habitat, the Bontebok being found in large numbers on from as far south as Eastern Cape, the plains of the Free State and the Transvaal Highveld. They are a plains species and dislike wooded areas.

The blesbuck is indigenous to South Africa and are found in large numbers in all national parks with open grasslands. They were first discovered in the 17th century, and were found in numbers so numerous that herds that reached from horizon to horizon where documented.