Creature
Fast Facts
Introducing you to extinct species.
THE
BLUEBUCK
1. The bluebuck, Hippotragus leucophaeus, stood 47 inches at the withers (shoulder) and weighed 250 - 400 pounds. 2. The horn consisted of 20 rings and curved backward up to 22.2 inches. 3. Genetic testing in 1996 seemed to indicate that the bluebuck was a distinct species from the roan antelope, but DNA testing in 2017 & 2021 showed it was most likely a sister species to the sable antelope, thus a distinct species. 4. The bluebuck gets its name from its blue-gray coat. Scientists think the blue color came from dark skin covered by thinning body hair, or it was a mixture of black and yellow. 5. It had a pale white stomach and brown forehead and was smaller with less of a mane than the roan or sable antelopes. 6. All museum specimens are faded and lack the original blue coloring. In 2021, sixteen specimens of 'bluebuck' were tested and only four were found to actually be blue bucks. 7. When Europeans arrived, the bluebuck's range was only in the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, although cave paintings indicate its historic range was larger. 8. It was known by many names; bluebuck, bloubok, blue antelope, blue goat, blaue Böcke, tzeiran, blaawwbok, blawebock, inputi, and its scientific name - Hippotragus leucophaeus (meaning 'horse-goat, brilliant white'). 9. They traveled in herds of up to 20 and preferred eating grass. 10. They followed an east-west migration, calving in the rainy seasons. 11. The native San people/Bushmen did cave paintings in the Caledon River Valley depicting six bluebucks leading a shaman to the spirit world. 12. The Story of the Hare is a South African fable that has a bluebuck guarding the kraal (livestock pen). 13. Jules Verne's novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon describes a bluebuck saying, "a superb animal of a pale-bluish colour shading upon the gray, but with the belly and the insides of the legs as white as the driven snow". 14. The bluebuck was the first large African mammal to go extinct in 1800, followed by the Quagga 83 years later.
Extinction
Cometh
Facing the light at the end of the tunnel
EXTINCTION DATE
1800
The bluebuck was found in cave paintings in the Caledon River Valley around 400 BC. The bluebuck were seen as gods who could lead the Bushmen shamans to the spirit world. Fossil evidence shows that the bluebuck flourished for about 1,000 years after the last Ice Age. Then around 3,000 years ago their numbers began to dwindle. Although no one knows the exact cause, scientists theorize that the bluebucks population began to decline as forests and bushes began to grow in the grasslands of South Africa. Bluebucks seemed to favor grasslands, so this shift could have limited their range. Around 400 BC the San people/Bushmen began to domesticate livestock in the region. The competition for space and for grasslands is thought to have affected the bluebuck population too. The 'blaue Böcke' was first mentioned in a list of South African mammals in 1681 but fossil evidence shows the bluebuck population was already in steep decline. By 1771 they were mentioned as being "increasingly rare." Hinrich Lichtenstein claimed that the last bluebuck had been shot in 1799 or 1800, which is where the extinction date comes from. The bluebuck was the first large African mammal to go extinct in recent times. The quagga would go extinct in 1883, although the quagga may be a variation of the common plains zebra (see quagga entry for more details). Could the bluebuck live in South Africa today? Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The bluebuck might be a candidate. Scientists would potentially use DNA from one of the confirmed four museum specimens to try to bring them back to life. South Africa is a diverse region and home to many unique and endangered species. Although many efforts are being made to protect wildlife, poaching continues to be a real threat in the country. The South African government is launching new initiatives to help its citizens to invest in its natural resources and unique wildlife. If the bluebuck was brought back from extinction, would it be able to adapt and survive in South Africa today?
COMING SOON
The bluebuck's Lazarus Tale has yet to be written. Would it be able to thrive again in South Africa if it did return?
More to Explore
All answers lead to more questions
A bluebuck specimen brought to Paris by François Levaillant in 1766
Image from Paris Bloubuk
VIDEOS & ADDITIONAL INFO
Detailed Article about the Bluebuck
Extinct Bricks - Making a Lego Bluebuck - Video
Prehistoric Profiles: Bluebuck Video
Conservation Efforts in South Africa
Sketch of the bloubuk or blue antelope
Image from Paris Bloubuk
An extinct animal display at the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet Museum
in Stockholm, Sweden
Image from Traces of the Animal Past
The known historical range of the bluebuck and its potential range
Image from Nature
Painting of the bluebuck by Peter Schouten
Image from the book,
A Gap in Nature
A graphic showing information about the hippotragus for their August is for Antelope Series
Image from Peppermint Narwhal
Miniature Figures of a bluebuck from The Sixth Extinction
Image from My Mini Factory
Extinct Bricks did an episode about building a Lego bluebuck
Image from YouTube
The bluebuck is an animal you can use in the game Zoo Tycoon 2
Image from Fan Wiki
Haunted Carousel: The Bluebuck Design
Image from Red Bubble
A My Little Pony inspired bluebuck character
Image from Deviant Art
The Bluebuck - 1800
Image from Red Bubble
The Bluebuck on a size comparison with a person and the closely related sable antelope
Image from Dimensions.com
The Gavril Bluebuck was a type of car in the 1950's & 1960's
Image from BeamNG
