Antelopes - Herbivora

The teeming millions do not teem anymore. Drastically reduced in number all over India the antelopes that still live amongst us and are commonly seen are the blackbuck, Nilgai, chinkara, and four-horned antelope. That latter is often confused to belong to deer species. preferring open country and extensive grasslands they have suffered significantly due to habitat loss caused by settlements and of course agriculture.

Black Buck Male

Black Buck Male With Females

Nilgai or Blue Bull

Nilgai or blue bull is widespread almost pan India and so are the black buck and chinkara.   

The four-horned antelope and Nilgai are seen in dry slopes and open country while the black buck and chinkara keep scrubbing plain grassland. Though still abundant in places they are not populated as they were in the recent past. Though hunters preferred the antelope since it was easy to shoot them in the open the real reason for the reduction in population is the loss of habitat in the extensive grasslands, scrub, and thorn forests. For black bucks and chinkara, the main predator was the extinct Indian Cheetah. This predator was an open grassland species le the cheetahs anywhere but I believe they frequented the scrub and thorn forests as well and could have frequented the edge of tropical forests in India. The other predators are the caracal, wolf, jackal, fox, leopard, Asiatic lion, and tiger. I have seen Nilgai in dense forests, especially in the dry slopes along with the four-horned antelopes.  

• But in general, antelopes prefer open country and the black buck can still be seen in large numbers in remaining stretches of grass. Once most abundant they are now restricted to pockets of small grasslands in the middle and edge of the forests. 

The fate of chinkaras or Indian Gazelle is worse in most places, they have been hunted down even in the post-legislation period. I used to see them in good numbers in and around Jabalpur, especially near the forest villages but they have been completely exterminated for meat. 

In exceptional circumstances, some villages revere both these antelopes, and in many places they find succor in protected areas in such places a significant population exists. 

The Nilgai by the virtue of being a look-alike of a cow is revered by Hindus like one and is less persecuted. 

The four-horned antelope is illusive and less persecuted but nevertheless is threatened. 

It should be kept in mind that these animals are killed/poached for meat wherever surveillance is less, and the law is not strictly followed. Their existence is still under threat. 
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Uday works as a naturalist at Kanha and loves to blog on wildlife.
He can be contacted at : pateluday90@hotmail.com
09755089323
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