[2], Springbok inhabit the dry areas of south and southwestern Africa. Hunting Springbok is about shooting at a pretty small animal at a far distance in a very short time. They rest in the shade of trees or bushes, and often bed down in the open when weather is cooler. Click on a link below to view a Quicktime video. They are widespread across Namibia and the vast grasslands of the Free State and the shrublands of Karoo in South Africa; however, they are confined to the Namib Desert in Angola. Springbok often go into bouts of repeated high leaps of up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) into the air – a practice known as pronking (derived from the Afrikaans pronk, "to show off") or stotting. We have used mass ratios as high as 9 to 1. [8] The study pointed out that the saiga and the springbok could be considerably different from the rest of the antilopines; a 2007 phylogenetic study even suggested that the two form a clade sister to the gerenuk. [15] Females are able to conceive at as early as six to seven months, whereas males do not attain sexual maturity until two years;[4] rut lasts 5 to 21 days. [26], Springbok mate year-round, though females are more likely to enter oestrus during the rainy season, when food is more plentiful. When the mother gives birth again, the previous offspring, now 6 to 12 months old, deserts her to join herds of adult springbok. The springbok is native to the open, treeless plains of southern Africa. Applying Newton's second law to each mass produces two coupled equations of motion. Some mammals that jump a lot, usually to hunt more and better or to escape their predators, are the the impala jumping up to 9 meters or 30 feet and the rabbit, that even though it is small in size can also jump up to 10 feet or 3 meters, which is pretty impressive for the furry budgie. [3][16] Springbok live for up to 10 years in the wild. A. m. angolensis has a brown to tawny coat, with thick, dark brown stripes on the face extending two-thirds down to the snout. [3] Males in neighbouring territories frequently fight for access to females, which they do by twisting and levering at each other with their horns, interspersed with stabbing attacks. Model #1 is the simplest of the models and contains three basic assumptions: (1) the springbok connecting the two masses obeys Hooke's law, (2) the mass of the spring is negligibly small, and (3) all dissipative effects can be ignored, including energy loss as the spring oscillates. In Botswana, they mostly occur in the Kalahari desert in the southwestern and central parts of the country. Beyond making all contact surfaces as smooth as possible, you should clean and lubricate them. Usually, the legs are held in a relatively stiff position. Welcome to our collection of Springbok video clips. The object is to exchange the two sets of pegs. When the male shows off his strength to attract a mate, or to ward off predators, he starts off in a stiff-legged trot, leaping into the air with an arched back every few paces and lifting the flap along his back. [11], The skin along the middle of the dorsal side is folded in, and covered with 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) white hair erected by arrector pili muscles (located between hair follicles). Using a model that accounts for damping may be necessary to achieve good agreement between model predictions and data. [13], Dark stripes extend across the white face, from the corner of the eyes to the mouth. [2] Other points of difference include a longer, broader, and rigid bridge to the nose and more muscular cheeks in springbok, and differences in the structure of the horns. [2] It stands about 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in) high. Asked by Wiki User. [7], In 2013, Eva Verena Bärmann (of the University of Cambridge) and colleagues undertook a revision of the phylogeny of the tribe Antilopini on the basis of nuclear and mitochondrial data. The cholesterol content varies from 54.5 to 59.0 milligrams (0.841 to 0.911 gr) per 100 grams (3.5 oz) of meat. Behaviour. Read More For our 'bok, which was made out of aluminum, we used a lacquer thinner to clean surfaces and graphite to lubricate them. "Observations on territorial behaviour of springbok. There is much a student can learn about the physics of jumping from a purely conceptual analysis of this toy. Average weight of males is 31 kg (68 lb), while for females it is 27 kg (60 lb). The springbok is characterised by a white face, a dark stripe running from the eyes to the mouth, a light-brown coat marked by a reddish-brown stripe that runs from the upper fore leg to the buttocks across the flanks like the Thomson's gazelle, and a white rump flap. One way to solve the equations of motion is to divide the motion into two phases: phase 1 --- while the springbok is in contact with the base, and phase 2 --- after the springbok has left the table. [14], Both sexes have black horns, about 35–50 cm (14–20 in) long, that are straight at the base and then curve backward. [17] The only other significant design issue is damping in the spring. [18], During the rut, males establish territories, ranging from 10 to 70 hectares (25 to 173 acres),[2] which they mark by urinating and depositing large piles of dung. A slender, long-legged antelope, the springbok reaches 71 to 86 cm (28 to 34 in) at the shoulder and weighs between 27 and 42 kg (60 and 93 lb). No major threats to the long-term survival of the species are known; the springbok, in fact, is one of the few antelope species considered to have an expanding population. [36] The meat might be adversely affected if the animal is killed by shooting. The tail, 14 to 28 cm (5.5 to 11.0 in) long, ends in a short, black tuft. Health of females was more affected by parasites than by rainfall; parasite count in females peaked prior to and immediately after parturition. A dark patch marks the forehead. The forehead is brown, fawn, or white, the patch not extending beyond the eyes and having no sharp boundaries. Despite their dainty size of just 1 meter tall, they can jump as high as eight metres in the air. Then choose masses accordingly. The masses we used in our 'boks are made of aluminum, as are the guide poles. Even more astonishing, some can live their entire lives without drinking a single drop of water. Pronking – It wouldn’t be a Springbok without the “spring!” These antelope spring high into the air by bouncing up with all four feet, a behavior known and “pronking.” These animals can pronk over six feet in the air, and usually jump several times in a row. [2] Another study showed a strong correlation between the availability of winter dietary protein and the body mass. The springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized antelope found mainly in southern and southwestern Africa. The Springboks in 2007 expected scores for the vertical jump ranged from at least 68 cm for the outside backs down to 55 cm for the props (more on Springboks norms). Learn more. This model does not attempt to take into account sliding friction. The sole member of the genus Antidorcas, this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1780. Horns have a girth of 71–83 mm (2.8–3.3 in) at the base; this thins to 56–65 mm (2.2–2.6 in) towards the tip. A true pronker does these jumps continuously. In the other two subspecies, horns of both sexes are nearly similar. Sliding friction will decrease the performance of a 'bok, so you may wish to take steps to reduce it. The forehead patch, dark brown or fawn, extends beyond the level of the eyes and mixes with the white of the face without any clear barriers. [2], The springbok is a slender antelope with long legs and neck. Springbok passing through bushes tend to be more vulnerable to predator attacks as they can not be easily alerted, and predators usually conceal themselves in bushes. And they don’t just jump once. The export of springbok skins, mainly from Namibia and South Africa, is a booming industry; these skins serve as taxidermy models. Springbok's 1973 puzzle called "Cubits" is an interesting take on solitaire - there are 32 identical small cubes which are mixed and randomly placed on a 6x6 grid on the red base, leaving the four corner positions empty.Five sides of a cube have a pattern of arrows and the sixth the word Cubits. The speed when leaving the ground can be as high as 7 m/s. In the above equations, mu is the upper mass, ml is the lower mass, k is the spring constant, L is the natural length of the spring, g is the gravitational field strength and FN is the normal force exerted on the lower mass by the table. [3][28] Copulation consists of a single pelvic thrust. They jump as high as 4in. Biltong can be prepared by preserving the raw meat with vinegar, spices, and table salt, without fermentation, followed by drying. Springboks are opportunistic breeders and can breed year-round, often synchronising the birth of their young with periods of high rainfall when there is an abundance of green grass shoots to feed on. Male springbok (rams), engage in this behaviour in order to impress the females (ewes), showing off their ability to jump high into the air and display the hidden white fur, which releases a scented secretion from the inner glandular skin. While the lateral stripe is nearly black, the stripe on the rump is dark brown. There are two other design issues to keep in mind when building a 'bok: The two springboks used in the "QuickTime Clips" have the following specifications: Damping coefficients for the two springs can be determined from "Quicktime Clips" of the masses oscillating while the 'bok is held fixed to a tabletop. [15] Most births take place in the spring (October to November), prior to the onset of the rainy season. To obtain a "simple" expression for the time at which the springbok leaves the table, we assume that the damping coefficient is small. Primarily a browser, the springbok feeds on shrubs and succulents; this antelope can live without drinking water for years, meeting its requirements through eating succulent vegetation. The specific epithet marsupialis comes from the Latin marsupium ("pocket"); it refers to a pocket-like skin flap which extends along the midline of the back from the tail. Galagos can achieve a vertical jump height of 2.25m – remarkable for an animal little bigger than a rat ( ref.15 ). They are popular game animals, and are valued for their meat and skin. Two other varieties – pure black and pure white forms – are artificially selected in some South African ranches. After weaning, female juveniles stay with their mothers until the birth of their next calves, while males join bachelor groups. This assumption leads to a solvable model that includes the mass of the spring. It is in the same family as antelope and goats. An article providing both a conceptual and quantitative analysis of the springbok (the mechanical system, not the gazelle) can be found in the published paper Springbok: The physics of jumping. High jump animal champions Is it a bird, is it a plane… no, it’s the world’s highest show-jumper and the award goes to the champion klipspringer! A springbok is easy to make and engaging to study. Habitat Savannah; This species has adapted to the dry, barren areas and open grass plains and is thus found especially in the Free State, North West Province and in the Karoo up to the west coast. When used as a demonstration, make sure that the 'bok jumps to a satisfactory height when the larger mass is on top. Springbok is a type of antelope that belongs to the bovid family. The equations of motion and solution for phase 2 are as follows (sorry for the ghastly color scheme --- it looked okay when we typeset it many years ago, for a much earlier web site with a different color scheme): The equations of motion and solution for phase 1 are as follows: In model 2 we assume that the spring has mass, but is always stretched uniformly. For their size, they are longest and highest jumpers of all animals. After viewing, click your browser's "back" button to return here. A. m. hofmeyri is a light fawn, with thin, dark brown face stripes. Despite their dainty size of just 1 meter tall, they can jump as high as eight metres in the air. If the female is receptive, she urinates, as well, and the male makes a flehmen gesture, and taps his leg till the female leaves or permits him to mate. Fleas can jump 220 times their own body length and 150 times their own body height! Model #2 attempts to improve upon Model 1 by taking into account the mass of the spring. The stripes on the flanks are dark brown to black, and the posterior stripes are moderately brown. Southern African wildcats, black-backed jackals, black eagles, martial eagles, and tawny eagles target juveniles. [34] Stearic acid is the main fatty acid, accounting for 24–27% of the fatty acids. Other materials can be used; just keep in mind that it is best to reduce the friction force between the two masses and the pole as much as possible. It was adopted as a nickname or mascot by several South African sports teams, most famously by the national rugby union team. The Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a mid-sized African ungulate featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo. Springbok males weigh between 32 and 48 kg (71 and 110 lb.) Both sexes have a pair of black, 35-to-50 cm (14-to-20 in) long horns that curve backwards. It is around 9'9 feet but no one can jump that high in HighJump. The common name "springbok" comes from the Afrikaans words spring ("jump") and bok ("antelope" or "goat");[2] the first recorded use of the name dates to 1775. A guide-pole and base are needed to maintain stable vertical motion [Figure 2]. The most accepted theory for pronking is that it is a method to raise alarm against a potential predator or confuse it, or to get a better view of a concealed predator; it may also be used for display. Try Springbak® Springsoles risk free for 30 days. [3] In fact, this physical feature distinguishes the springbok from true gazelles. Springbok often go into bouts of repeated high leaps of up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) into the air in a practice known as "pronking" (Afrikaans and Dutch: pronk, to show off) or "stotting". The nose is white or marked with brown. – In short, Springbok translates to “jumping antelope,” or “jumping goat.” In the Afrikaans language of South Africa, “spring” translates to jump, and “bok. See U.S. Patent 243688 - Bullard 1881. [26][30], Springbok occur in several protected areas across their range: Makgadikgadi and Nxai National Park (Botswana); Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park between Botswana and South Africa; Etosha National Park and Namib-Naukluft Park (Namibia); Mokala and Karoo National Parks and a number of provincial reserves in South Africa. ). (This is a companion website to the article Springbok: The physics of jumping, published in The Physics Teacher.). The equations of motion for phase 2 have a simpler form and are easier to solve when written in terms of the total mass M, reduced mass (muml/M), center-of-mass coordinate (MY = muyu + mlyl), and relative coordinate (y = yu - yl). Drill a hole through the center of the two masses so that they can slide along the pole. [37] The meat may be consumed raw or used in prepared dishes. White springbok, as the name suggests, are predominantly white with a light tan stripe on the flanks. In extreme cases, they do not drink any water over the course of their lives. [5] It was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1780. In A. m. marsupialis, females have thinner horns than males; the horns of females are only 60 to 70% as long as those of males. [14] The infant weighs 3.8 to 5 kg (8.4 to 11.0 lb); the female keeps her calf hidden in cover while she is away. A. m. marsupialis is a rich chestnut brown, with thin, light face stripes. The male then urinates and sniffs the female's perineum. The springbok is a species of antelope. The ears, narrow and pointed, measure 15–19 cm (5.9–7.5 in). Springbok is our name for a simple mechanical system for teaching about the physics of jumping. A springbok consists of a large mass and a small mass connected by a spring; when compressed and then released, it jumps up into the air. Fossils dating back to 80 and 100 thousand years ago have been excavated at Herolds Bay Cave (Western Cape Province, South Africa) and Florisbad (Free State), respectively. Once a spring is selected, the only way to increase the jump height of the Springbok is to decrease its total mass. You […] The springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium sized brown and white gazelle that stands about 75 centimetres (30 in) high. Model #3 attempts to improve upon Model 1 by taking into account damping effects. Springbok / Springbuck stand 75 cm high and weighs about 40 kg. Springbok are very fast antelopes, clocked at 88 km/h (55 mph). – $24.95 Customer Service: Mon. [23] Studies show that springbok host helminths (Haemonchus, Longistrongylus and Trichostrongylus), ixodid ticks (Rhipicephalus species), lice (Damalinia and Linognathus species). While pronking, the Springbok repeatedly leaps into the air in a particular stiff-legged posture, with its back bowed and the white fan lifted. The springbok can survive under hot conditions without access of free water. The sole member of the genus Antidorcas, this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1780. [9] The cladogram below is based on the 2013 study. 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