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Dalbergia sissoo

2023-01-12T14:01:32Z

185.118.30.133:

{{Short description|Species of deciduous tree}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Dalbergia sissoo Bra24.png
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Lakhey, P. |author2=Pathak, J. |author3=Adhikari, B. |date=2020 |title=''Dalbergia sissoo'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T62022617A62022619 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T62022617A62022619.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
|taxon = Dalbergia sissoo
|authority = [[William Roxburgh|Roxb.]]
|synonyms =
{{Plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; |
*''Amerimnon sissoo'' (Roxb.) Kuntze
}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref>{{citation
|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/ild-1870
|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species
|access-date=12 December 2015}}</ref>
|}}

{{Redirect-synonym|Indian rosewood|''[[Dalbergia latifolia]]''}}
'''''Dalbergia sissoo''''', known commonly as '''North Indian rosewood''' or ''shisham'',<ref name=EPPO>{{cite web | title = ''Dalbergia sissoo'' | url = https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/DAGSI | publisher = [[European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization]] (EPPO) | access-date = 15 April 2021}}</ref> is a fast-growing, hardy, [[deciduous]] [[rosewood]] tree native to the Indian subcontinent and southern Iran. ''D. sissoo'' is a large, crooked tree with long, leathery leaves and whitish or pink flowers.

==Description==
''Dalbergia sissoo'' is a medium to large deciduous tree with a light crown, which reproduces by seeds and [[basal shoot|suckers]].<ref name=Agroforestry>{{cite web|last1=Orwa|first1=C|title=Dalbergia sissoo|url=http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Dalbergia_sissoo.PDF|website=Agroforestry database|access-date=25 December 2016}}</ref> It can grow up to {{convert|25|m|abbr=on}} in height and {{convert|2|to|3|m|abbr=on}} in diameter, but is usually smaller. Trunks are often crooked when grown in the open. Leaves are leathery, alternate, pinnately compound, and about {{convert|15|cm|abbr=on}} long. Flowers are whitish to pink, fragrant, nearly sessile, up to {{convert|1.5|cm|abbr=on}} long, and in dense clusters {{convert|5|to|10|cm|abbr=on}} in length. Pods are oblong, flat, thin, strap-like, {{convert|4|to|8|cm|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|1|cm|abbr=on}} wide, and light brown. They contain one to five flat, bean-shaped seeds, {{convert|8|to|10|mm|abbr=on}} long. They have a long taproot and numerous surface roots that produce suckers. Young shoots are downy and drooping; established stems have light brown to dark gray bark, up to {{convert|2.5|cm|abbr=on}} thick, shed in narrow strips; large upper branches support a spreading crown.

==Distribution and habitat==
''Dalbergia sissoo'' is native to the foothills of the Himalayas ranging from Afghanistan in the west to [[Bihar]], India, in the east. It also occurs naturally in Iran. It is primarily found growing along river banks above {{convert|200|m|-2|abbr=on}} elevation, but can range naturally up to {{convert|1400|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" /> The temperature in its native range is typically {{convert|10|to|40|C|F}}, but varies from just below freezing to nearly {{convert|50|C|F}}. It can withstand average annual rainfall up to {{convert|2000|mm}} and droughts of three to four months. Soils range from pure sand and gravel to rich [[alluvium]] of river banks; ''shisham'' can grow in slightly saline soils. Seedlings are intolerant of shade.

==Ecology==
''Dalbergia sissoo'' is the larval food plant of the [[Charaxes solon|black rajah]] (''Charaxes solon'').

==Uses==

===Timber===
[[File:Sheesham.jpg|thumb|Sheesham wood]]
It is the best known economic timber species of the [[rosewood]] genus sold internationally, but it is also used as fuel wood and for shade and shelter. After [[teak]], it is the most important cultivated timber tree of Bihar, which is the largest producer of ''shisham'' timber in India. In Bihar, the tree is planted on roadsides, along canals, and as a shade tree for [[tea|tea plantations]]. It is also commonly planted in southern Indian cities such as Bangalore as a street tree.

North Indian rosewood is usually dried before being used in furniture manufacturing, a process commonly known as seasoning. Locally, it is left in open areas to dry under the sun for about six months. Commercially, it is dried in closed chambers with hot-air circulation for about 7 to 15 days, depending on weather conditions. The ideal moisture level is around 5 to 6% for thinner pieces and up to 11% for thicker ones, depending on use. Any level lower than this can cause sudden cracking of the final products.

North Indian rosewood is among the finest cabinet and [[wood veneer|veneer]] timbers. It is the wood from which '[[khol|mridanga]]', the [[Rajasthan]]i percussion instrument, is often made. In addition to musical instruments, it is used for [[plywood]], agricultural tools, flooring, as a bentwood, and for turning.

The [[heartwood]] is golden to dark brown; the [[sapwood (wood)|sapwood]] is white to pale brownish white. The heartwood is durable (its [[relative density|specific gravity]] is 0.7 – 0.8) and is very resistant to fungi, but the sapwood is readily attacked by dry-wood termites and borers. ''D. sissoo'' is known to contain the [[neoflavonoid]] [[dalbergichromene]] in its stem bark and heartwood.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=[[Tetrahedron (journal)|Tetrahedron]] |volume=27 |issue=4 |year=1971 |pages=799–803 |title=Dalbergichromene : a new neoflavonoid from stem-bark and heartwood of ''Dalbergia sissoo'' |author=S. K. Mukerjee |author2=T. Saroja |author3=T. R. Seshadri |name-list-style=amp |doi=10.1016/S0040-4020(01)92474-3}}</ref>
[[File:Sisau Tree, Indian rosewood, (Dalbergia sissoo)-IMG 7825.jpg|thumb|Dalbergia sissoo, Sisau Tree in [[Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science|IAAS, Paklihawa Campus, Nepal]]]]

===Fuel wood===
[[File:Dalbergia sissoo.jpg|thumb|right|A North Indian rosewood tree growing in Pakistan]]
The [[Heating value|calorific]] value of both the sapwood and heartwood is excellent, being reported to be 4,908 kcal/kg and 5,181 kcal/kg, respectively. As a fuel wood, it is grown on a 10- to 15-year rotation. The tree has excellent [[coppice|coppicing]] ability, although a loss of vigor after two or three rotations has been reported. The wood makes excellent [[charcoal]] for heating and cooking.

===Traditional medicine===
The tree's seed oil and powdered wood are used in the treatment of skin ailments.<ref name=Agroforestry/> ''Dalbergia sissoo'' may also have efficacy in the treatment of stomach and blood conditions.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/>

=== Teeth brushing===
Traditionally, slender tree twigs (called ''datun'') are first chewed as a [[toothbrush]] and then split as a [[tongue cleaner]].<ref name="Toothbrush">{{cite web|url=http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-toothbrush.html|title=Make A Neem Toothbrush (Neem Tree Home Remedies)|work=Discover Neem|publisher=Birgit Bradtke|access-date=16 July 2013}}</ref> This practise has been in use in Pakistan, Africa, and the Middle East for centuries. Many of India's 80% rural population still start their day with the [[teeth cleaning twig]] either with ''[[Salvadora persica]] ''or ''[[Azadirachta indica]]''. In other parts of the world, ''shisham'' twigs are still collected and sold in markets for this use in rural areas.

=== Pesticide ===
An ethanolic extract of the fruits of ''D. sissoo'' exhibited [[molluscicide|molluscicidal]] effects against eggs of the freshwater snail ''[[Biomphalaria pfeifferi]]''.<ref>Adenusi A. A. & Odaibo A. B. (2009). "Effects of varying concentrations of the crude aqueous and ethanolic". ''African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative medicines'' '''6'''(2). [http://journals.sfu.ca/africanem/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/465 abstract], [http://journals.sfu.ca/africanem/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/465/396 PDF].</ref>

===Construction===
The juice of this plant is a potent ingredient for a mixture of wall plaster, according to the ''Samarāṅgaṇa Sūtradhāra'', which is a Sanskrit treatise dealing with'' Śilpaśāstra'' (Hindu science of art and construction).<ref>{{Cite book
| last = Nardi
| first = Isabella

| title = The Theory of Citrasutras in Indian Painting
| place =
| publisher = Routledge
| year = 2007

| isbn=978-1134165230
| pages = 121
| edition =
| url =
| doi =
| id =
}}</ref>

==Cultivation==
Propagation takes place most commonly by root suckers, but also by seeds. The seeds remain viable for only a few months. Seeds should be soaked in water for 48 hours before sowing; 60% – 80% germination can be expected in 1–3 weeks. Seedlings require partial sun or full
sun. In India, ''shisham'' wood trading and its uses are under government restrictions.

==Local names==
Common names for ''D. sissoo'' are ''sisu'', ''tahli'' or ''tali'', and ''irugudujava''. Indian common names are '''{{transl|pa|biradi}}''', and '''{{transl|pa|sisau}}'''. Pakistani common names are ''sheesham/shisham'' and ''tahli'' in Punjabi. In Afghanistani, its name is ''shewa'', and in [[Persian language|Persian]], it is called ''jag''. In [[Hindi]] and [[Urdu]], it is called ''sheesham''. In [[Bengali language|Bengali]], it is called ''sheeshoo''. Local name for Indian rosewood in eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]] and western Bihar is ''seeso''.

The wood of ''D. sissoo'' is known as ''sheesham'' or ''shisham'', and is an important commercial timber.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tudge|first1=Colin|title=The Tree|date=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York|isbn=978-0-307-39539-9|page=182}}</ref>

''D. sisso'' is the [[List of Indian state trees|state tree]] of the Indian state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name=ENVIS>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bsienvis.nic.in/KidsCentre/BSI_3937.aspx|title=State Trees of India|website=www.bsienvis.nic.in|publisher=ENVIS Resource Partner on Biodiversity|access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Arid Forest Research Institute]]

==References==
{{Commons category|Dalbergia sissoo}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1157813}}

[[Category:Dalbergia|sissoo]]
[[Category:Trees of the Indian subcontinent]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Punjab (Pakistan)]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Doab (India)]]
[[Category:Trees of Western Asia]]
[[Category:Environment of Punjab, India]]

Blackbuck

2023-01-12T14:00:06Z

185.118.30.133:

{{Short description|Antelope native to India and Nepal}}
{{Redirect|Black buck|other uses|Blackbuck (disambiguation)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Blackbuck
| image = Blackbuck male female.jpg
| image_caption = Blackbuck male and two females
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Antilope cervicapra'' |author=IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group |date=2017 |page=e.T1681A50181949 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T1681A50181949.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Antilope cervicapra
| parent_authority =
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| range_map = Antilope cervicapra map.png
| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
| subdivision =
* ''A. c. cervicapra'' (Linnaeus, 1758)
* ''A. c. rajputanae'' Zukowsky, 1927
| synonyms =
* ''Cervicapra'' Sparrman, 1780
* ''Antilope bezoartica'' Gray, 1850
* ''Capra cervicapra'' Linnaeus, 1758
}}

The '''blackbuck''' (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the '''Indian antelope''', is an [[antelope]] native to [[India]] and [[Nepal]]. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources.
It stands up to {{convert|74|to|84|cm|in|abbr=on}} high at the shoulder. Males weigh {{convert|20|-|57|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, with an average of {{convert|38|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. Females are lighter, weighing {{convert|20|-|33|kg|lb|abbr=on}} or {{convert|27|kg|lb|abbr=on}} on average. Males have {{convert|35|-|75|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, ringed [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]]s, though females may develop horns as well. The white fur on the chin and around the eyes is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face. The coats of males show a two-tone colouration; while the upper parts and outsides of the legs are dark brown to black, the underparts and the insides of the legs are white. Females and juveniles are yellowish fawn to tan. The blackbuck is the sole living member of the [[Genus (biology)|genus]] ''Antilope'' and was [[Scientific description|scientifically described]] by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in 1758. Two [[subspecies]] are recognized.

The blackbuck is [[Diurnality|active mainly during the day]]. It forms three type of small groups, female, male, and bachelor herds. Males often adopt [[lekking]] as a strategy to garner females for mating. While other males are not allowed into these territories, females often visit these places to forage. The male can thus attempt mating with her. The blackbuck is a herbivore and grazes on low grasses, occasionally [[Browsing (herbivory)|browsing]] as well. Females become [[sexually mature]] at the age of eight months, but mate no earlier than two years of age. Males mature later, at 1.5 years. Mating takes place throughout the year. Gestation is typically six months long, after which a single calf is born. The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years.

The antelope is native to and found mainly in India, while it is [[locally extinct]] in [[Pakistan]] and [[Bangladesh]]. Formerly widespread, only small, scattered herds are seen today, largely confined to protected areas. During the 20th century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive [[hunting]], [[deforestation]], and [[habitat destruction|habitat degradation]]. The blackbuck has been introduced in [[Argentina]] and the United States. In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972]]. The blackbuck has significance in [[Hinduism]]; Indian and Nepali villagers do not harm the antelope.

==Etymology==
The [[scientific name]] of the blackbuck is ''Antilope cervicapra''. Its [[Generic name (biology)|generic name]] stems from the [[Latin language|Latin]] word ''antalopus'' ("horned animal").<ref name=palmer/><ref>{{MerriamWebsterDictionary|Antilope|access-date=11 March 2016}}</ref> The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]] ''cervicapra'' is composed of the Latin words ''cervus'' ("deer") and ''capra'' ("she-goat").<ref name=palmer>{{cite book |last1=Palmer |first1=T.S. |last2=Merriam |first2=C.H. |date=1904 |title=Index Generum Mammalium : A List of the Genera and Families of Mammals |url=https://archive.org/details/indexgenerummamm23palm |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, US |pages=[https://archive.org/details/indexgenerummamm23palm/page/n123 114], 163}}</ref><ref>{{MerriamWebsterDictionary|Cervicapra|access-date=11 March 2016}}</ref> The vernacular name "blackbuck" is a reference to the dark brown to black colour of the [[Dorsal (anatomy)|dorsal]] (upper) part of the [[Coat (animal)|coat]] of the males.<ref name="mares">{{cite book |last1=Mares |first1=M.A. |title=Encyclopedia of Deserts |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediadese00mare |url-access=limited |date=1999 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |location=Norman, Oklahoma (US) |isbn=978-0-585-19478-3 |page=78}}</ref> The earliest recorded use of this name dates back to 1850.<ref>{{MerriamWebsterDictionary|Blackbuck|access-date=11 March 2016}}</ref> Alternative names for the blackbuck are "Indian antelope",<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sajnani |first1=M. |title=Encyclopaedia of Tourism Resources in India |date=2001 |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |location=New Delhi, India |isbn=978-81-7835-017-2 |page=xv}}</ref> ''kadiyal'', ''kala hiran'', ''krishna mriga'' in [[Kannada]], ''krishnasaar'' in [[Hindi language|Hindi]]; ''kalvit'' in [[Marathi language|Marathi]]; ''krishna jinka'' in [[Telugu language|Telugu]]); and ''iralai maan'' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]].<ref name=vats/><ref name=krishna/>

==Taxonomy and evolution==
The blackbuck is the sole living member of the genus ''Antilope'' and is classified in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Bovidae]]. The species was [[Scientific description|described]] and given its binomial name by Swedish zoologist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in the [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'']] in 1758.<ref name="blanford">{{cite book |last1=Blanford |first1=W.T. |title=The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma |date=1891 |publisher=[[Taylor and Francis]] |location=London |pages=521−524 |chapter=''Antilope cervicapra''. The Indian Antelope or black Buck |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/mammalia00blan#page/520/mode/2up}}</ref><ref name=Nowak1999>{{cite book |last1=Nowak |first1=R. M. |title=Walker's Mammals of the World |url=https://archive.org/details/walkersmammalsof0002nowa |url-access=registration |date=1999 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore, Maryland |isbn=978-0-8018-5789-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/walkersmammalsof0002nowa/page/1193 1193–4] |edition=6th}}</ref> ''Antilope'' also includes [[fossil]] species, such as ''[[Antilope subtorta]]'' and ''[[Antilope intermedia]]''.<ref name=khan>{{cite journal |last1=Khan |first1=M.A. |last2=Akhtar |first2=M. |title=Antelopes (Mammalia, Ruminantia, Bovidae) from the Upper Siwaliks of Tatrot, Pakistan, with description of a new species |journal=Paleontological Journal |date=2014 |volume=48 |issue=1 |pages=79–89 |doi=10.1134/S0031030114010055 |s2cid=84227895 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263526601}}</ref>

''Antilope'', ''[[Eudorcas]]'', ''[[Gazella]]'', and ''[[Nanger]]'' form a [[clade]] within their [[Tribe (biology)|tribe]] [[Antilopini]]. A 1995 study of the detailed [[karyotype]] of ''Antilope'' suggested that within this clade, ''Antilope'' is closest to the ''Gazella'' group.<ref name=vassart>{{cite journal |last1=Vassart |first1=M. |last2=Seguela |first2=A. |last3=Hayes |first3=H. |title=Chromosomal evolution in gazelles |journal=Journal of Heredity |date=1995 |volume=86 |issue=3 |pages=216–27 |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111565 |pmid=7608514}}</ref> A 1999 [[phylogenetic]] analysis confirmed that ''Antilope'' is the closest sister taxon to ''Gazella'',<ref name=rebholz>{{cite journal |last1=Rebholz |first1=W. |last2=Harley |first2=E. |title=Phylogenetic relationships in the bovid subfamily Antilopinae based on mitochondrial DNA sequences |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=July 1999 |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=87–94 |doi=10.1006/mpev.1998.0586 |pmid=10381312}}</ref> although an earlier phylogeny, proposed in 1976, placed ''Antilope'' as sister to ''Nanger''.<ref name=effron>{{cite journal |last1=Effron |first1=M. |last2=Bogart |first2=M. H. |last3=Kumamoto |first3=A. T. |last4=Benirschke |first4=K. |title=Chromosome studies in the mammalian subfamily Antilopinae |journal=Genetica |date=1976 |volume=46 |issue=4 |pages=419–44 |doi=10.1007/BF00128089 |s2cid=23227689}}</ref> In a more recent revision of the phylogeny of the Antilopini on the basis of sequences from multiple [[Nucleus (biology)|nuclear]] and [[mitochondria]]l loci in 2013, Eva Verena Bärmann (of the [[University of Cambridge]]) and colleagues re-examined the phylogenetic relationships and found ''Antilope'' and ''Gazella'' to be sister genera distinct from the sister genera ''Nanger'' and ''Eudorcas''.<ref name="barmann">{{cite journal |last1=Bärmann |first1=E.V. |last2=Rössner |first2=G.E. |last3=Wörheide |first3=G. |title=A revised phylogeny of Antilopini (Bovidae, Artiodactyla) using combined mitochondrial and nuclear genes |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=2013 |volume=67 |issue=2 |pages=484–93 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2013.02.015 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236042243 |pmid=23485920}}</ref><ref name="vn">{{cite book |editor1-last=Considine |editor1-first=G.D. |editor2-last=Kulik |editor2-first=P.H. |title=Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia |url=https://archive.org/details/vannostrandscien00gdco |url-access=limited |date=2008 |publisher=Wiley-Interscience |location=Hoboken, New Jersey (US) |isbn=978-0-471-74398-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/vannostrandscien00gdco/page/n197 183] |edition=10th}}</ref>

{{clade | style=font-size:90%;line-height:100%;width:300px;
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=''[[Gazella]]''
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=[[Cuvier's gazelle]]
|2=[[Rhim gazelle]]
}}
|2=[[Sand gazelle]]
}}
|2={{clade
|1=[[Chinkara]]
|2=[[Goitered gazelle]]
}}
}}
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=[[Mountain gazelle]]
|2=[[Speke's gazelle]]
}}
|2=[[Dorcas gazelle]]
}}
}}
|label2='''''Antilope'''''
|2='''Blackbuck'''
}}
}}
[[File:Blackbuck_by_N_A_Nazeer.jpg|thumb|Male of ''A. c. cervicapra'', note the black extending lower down on the sides]]
Two [[subspecies]] are recognised,<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3 Artiodactyla| page = 678| id = 14200535}}</ref><ref name=groves1/> although they might be independent species:<ref name=groves>{{cite book |last1=Groves |first1=C. |last2=Grubb |first2=P. |title=Ungulate Taxonomy |date=2011 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore, Maryland (US) |isbn=978-1-4214-0093-8}}</ref>
* ''A. c. cervicapra'' (Linnaeus, 1758), known as the southeastern blackbuck, occurs in southern, eastern, and central [[India]]. The white eye ring of the male is narrow above the eye and the neck is all black in the male and the white on the underside is largely restricted to the belly in both males and females. The black leg stripe is well defined and reaches all along the leg.
* ''A. c. rajputanae'' Zukowsky, 1927, known as the northwestern blackbuck, occurs in northwestern India. Males have a grey sheen to the dark parts during the breeding season. The white on the underside extends up to half way on the sides of the body and the lower base of the neck of males is white. The white eye ring is broad all around the eye with the leg-stripe going only down to the shanks.

==Genetics==
The blackbuck shows variation in its diploid [[chromosome]] number. Males have 31-33, while females have 30-32. Males have an XY1Y2 sex chromosome.<ref name=groves/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sontakke |first1=S.D. |last2=Kandukuri |first2=L.R. |last3=Umapathy |first3=G. |last4=Kulashekaran |first4=K.M. |last5=Venkata |first5=P.O. |last6=Shivaji |first6=S. |last7=Singh |first7=L. |title=The 34,XY 1 ,der(13) Chromosome Constitution with Loss of Y 2 Is Associated with Unilateral Testicular Hypoplasia in the Endangered Indian Blackbuck Antelope (Antilope cervicapra) |journal=Sexual Development |volume=6 |issue=5 |pages=240–246 |doi=10.1159/000339898 |pmid=22846804 |year=2012 |s2cid=27843494}}</ref> Unusually large [[sex chromosome]]s had earlier been described only in a few species, all of which belonged to Rodentia. However, in 1968, a study found that two [[artiodactyl]]s, the blackbuck and the [[sitatunga]], too, showed this abnormality. Generally, the [[X chromosome]] constitutes 5% of the [[haploid]] chromosomal complement, but the X chromosome of the blackbuck this percentage is 14.96. Portions of both peculiarly large chromosomes show delayed [[DNA replication|replication]].<ref name=wurster>{{cite journal |last1=Wurster |first1=D.H. |last2=Benirschke |first2=K. |last3=Noelke |first3=H. |title=Unusually large sex chromosomes in the sitatunga (''Tragelaphus spekei'') and the blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra'') |journal=Chromosoma |date=February 1968 |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=317–23 |doi=10.1007/BF02451003 |pmid=5658170 |s2cid=20620389}}</ref>

A 1997 study found lower variation in blood [[protein]] [[Polymorphism (biology)|polymorphism]] in ''Antilope'' in comparison with ''[[Antidorcas]]'', ''Eudorcas'', and ''Gazella''. This was attributed to a history of rapid evolution of an [[autapomorphic]] [[phenotype]] of ''Antilope''. This might have been aided by a particularly strong selection of a few dominant males due to their lekking behaviour.<ref name=schreiber>{{cite journal |last1=Schreiber |first1=A. |last2=Fakler |first2=P. |last3=Osterballe |first3=R. |title=Blood protein variation in blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), a lekking gazelle |journal=Zeitschrift für Saugetierkunde |date=1997 |volume=62 |issue=4 |pages=239–49}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
The blackbuck is a moderately sized [[antelope]]. It stands up to {{convert|74|to|84|cm|in|abbr=on}} high at the shoulder; the head-to-body length is nearly {{convert|120|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Nowak1999/> In the population introduced to Texas, males weigh {{convert|20|-|57|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, an average of {{convert|38|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. Females are lighter, weighing {{convert|20|-|33|kg|lb|abbr=on}} or {{convert|27|kg|lb|abbr=on}} on average.<ref name=texas/> [[Sexual dimorphism]] is prominent, as males are heavier and darker than the females.<ref name="texas">{{cite book |last1=Schmidly |first1=D.J. |title=Mammals of Texas |date=2004 |publisher=University of Texas Press |location=Austin, Texas (US) |isbn=978-1-4773-0886-8 |page=293 |edition=Revised |url=http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/anticerv.htm |access-date=2016-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222082930/http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/anticerv.htm |archive-date=2015-02-22 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The long, ringed [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]]s, that resemble corkscrews, are generally present only on males, though females may develop horns, as well. They measure {{convert|35|-|75|cm|in|abbr=on}}, though the maximum horn length recorded in Texas has not exceeded {{convert|58|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The horns diverge forming a "V"-like shape.<ref name=texas/> In India, horns are longer and more divergent in specimens from the northern and western parts of the country.<ref name="groves1">{{cite journal |last1=Groves |first1=C. |title=A note on geographic variation in the Indian blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra'') |journal=Records of the Zoological Survey of India |date=1980 |volume=76 |pages=125–138 |url=http://faunaofindia.nic.in/PDFVolumes/records/076/01-04/0125-0138.pdf}}</ref>

The white fur on the chin and around the eyes is in sharp contrast with the black stripes on the face. The coats of males show two-tone colouration; while the upper parts and outsides of the legs are dark brown to black, the underparts and the insides of the legs are all white. Darkness typically increases as the male ages.<ref name=deal/> On the other hand, females and juveniles are yellowish fawn to tan.<ref name="deal">{{cite book |last1=Deal |first1=K.H. |title=Wildlife and Natural Resource Management |date=2011 |publisher=Delmar Cengage Learning |location=Clifton Park, New York (US) |isbn=978-1-4354-5397-5 |page=156 |edition=Third}}</ref> In Texas, blackbuck [[moulting|moult]] in spring, following which the males look notably lighter, though darkness persists on the face and the legs.<ref name=texas/> On the contrary, males grow darker as the breeding season approaches.<ref name=deal/> Both melanism<ref>{{cite journal |year=1904 |title=Melanism in black buck |url=https://archive.org/stream/journalofbombayn16abomb#page/n425/mode/2up |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=16 |page=361 |author=Smith, J. M.}}</ref> and albinism have been observed in wild blackbuck. Albino blackbuck are often zoo attractions as in the [[Indira Gandhi Zoological Park]] (Andhra Pradesh, India).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ganguly |first1=N. |title=Albino black buck attracts visitors to zoo |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/albino-black-buck-attracts-visitors-to-zoo/article1294005.ece |access-date=11 March 2016 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=11 July 2008}}</ref>

Blackbuck bear a close resemblance to gazelles, and are distinguished mainly by the fact that while gazelles are brown in the dorsal parts, blackbuck develop a dark brown or black colour in these parts.<ref name=mares/>

==Distribution and habitat ==
[[File:Blackbucks ranebennur.jpg|thumb|Blackbucks in [[Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary]]]]
[[File:Pair of blackbucks!.jpg|thumb|Blackbucks in Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary]]
[[File:Blackbuck 2.jpg|thumb|Blackbuck in the [[Nilgiri hills]]]]
[[File:CheetahHunt.jpg|thumb|Royalty hunting blackbuck with [[Asiatic cheetah]] in South Gujarat, 1812]]
The blackbuck is native to the [[Indian subcontinent]], but [[Local extinction|locally extinct]] in [[Pakistan]] and [[Bangladesh]].<ref name=iucn />
In [[Nepal]], the last surviving blackbuck population inhabits the [[Blackbuck Conservation Area]] south of [[Bardia National Park]]. In 2008, the population was estimated to comprise 184 individuals.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bhatta |first1=S.R. |title=People and blackbuck : Current management challenges and opportunities |journal=The Initiation |date=2008 |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=17–21 |doi=10.3126/init.v2i1.2514 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
In Pakistan, blackbuck occasionally occur along the border with India.<ref name=Mallon2001/>
A few blackbucks are present in the [[Indian Institute of Technology Madras]] campus.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://home.iitm.ac.in/prakriti/prakriti/blackbucks1.html |title=Black Buck IITM campus}}</ref>

The blackbuck inhabits grassy plains and thinly forested areas where perennial water sources are available for its daily need to drink. Herds travel long distances to obtain water.<ref name=iucn />

The British naturalist [[William Thomas Blanford]] described the range of the blackbuck in his 1891 ''[[The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma]]'' as:<ref name=blanford/>
{{quote|India from the base of the Himalayas to the neighbourhood of [[Cape Comorin]] (the southernmost locality known to me is [[Point Calimere]]), and from the Punjab to Lower Assam, in open plains, not in Ceylon nor east of the [[Bay of Bengal]]. Not found on hills nor in thickly wooded tracts, and wanting throughout the [[Malabar coast]] south of the neighbourhood of Surat. The statement that this antelope is not found in Lower Bengal is not quite correct ; none are found in the swampy Gangetic delta, but many exist on the plains near the coast in [[Midnapore]] (I have shot them near Contai), as they also do in Orissa. Antelopes are most abundant in the North-west Provinces, Rajputana, and parts of the [[Deccan]], but are locally distributed and keep to particular tracts.}}
Today, only small, scattered herds are seen that are largely confined to protected areas.<ref name=iucn />

The antelope was introduced in [[Texas]] in the [[Edwards Plateau]] in 1932. By 1988, the population had increased and the antelope was the most populous exotic animal in Texas after the [[chital]].<ref name=texas/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rejmánek |first1=M. |editor1-last=Simberloff |editor1-first=D. |title=Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediabiol00simb |url-access=limited |date=2011 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |isbn=978-0-520-26421-2 |page=267}}</ref> As of early 2000s, the population in the United States was estimated at 35,000. The blackbuck was introduced into [[Argentina]], numbering about 8,600 individuals as of the early 2000s.<ref name=Mallon2001/>

== Ecology and behaviour ==
[[File:Blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) (19726308174).jpg|thumb|A blackbuck herd in Gujarat]]
The blackbuck is a [[Diurnality|diurnal]] antelope, though is less active at noon when summer temperatures rise. It can run at a speed of {{convert|80|km/h|mph}}.<ref name=Nowak1999/>

Group size fluctuates and seems to depend on the availability of forage and the nature of the habitat. Large herds have an edge over smaller ones in that danger can be detected faster, though individual vigilance is lower in the former. Large herds spend more time feeding than small herds. A disadvantage for large herds, however, is that traveling requires more resources.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Isvaran |first1=K. |title=Intraspecific variation in group size in the blackbuck antelope: the roles of habitat structure and forage at different spatial scales |journal=Oecologia |date=2007 |volume=154 |issue=2 |pages=435–444 |doi=10.1007/s00442-007-0840-x |pmid=17786484 |bibcode=2007Oecol.154..435I |s2cid=22424425}}</ref> Herd size reduces in summer.<ref name=vats/>

Males often adopt [[lekking]] as a strategy on the part of males to garner females for mating. Territories are established by males on the basis of the local distribution of female groups, which in turn is determined by the habitat, so as to ensure greater access to females.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Isvaran |first1=K. |title=Female grouping best predicts lekking in blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra'') |journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |date=2004 |volume=57 |issue=3 |pages=283–294 |doi=10.1007/s00265-004-0844-z |s2cid=32511584}}</ref> The males actively defend resources in their territories, nearly {{convert|1.2|to|12|ha|acre+sqmi}} in size;<ref name=texas/> territories are marked with scent using [[preorbital gland]] and [[interdigital gland]] secretions, faeces and urine.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rajagopal |first1=T. |last2=Manimozhi |first2=A. |last3=Archunan |first3=G. |title=Diurnal variation in preorbital gland scent marking behaviour of captive male Indian Blackbuck (''Antelope cervicapra'' L.) and its territorial significance |journal=Biological Rhythm Research |date=2011 |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=27–38 |doi=10.1080/09291011003693161 |s2cid=84513333 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |name-list-style=amp |last1=Rajagopal |first1=T. |last2=Archunan |first2=G. |title=Scent marking by Indian blackbuck: Characteristics and spatial distribution of urine, pellet, preorbital and interdigital gland marking in captivity |journal=Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation: Proceedings of the "National Seminar on Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation", 13 to 15 October 2006, A Seminar Conducted During the "bi-decennial Celebrations" of Pondicherry University |date=2006 |pages=71–80}}</ref> While other males are not allowed into these territories, females are allowed to visit these places to forage. The male can attempt mating with visiting females. Lekking is a demanding strategy, as the males often have to bear injuries – thus it is a tactic typically adopted by strong, [[Dominance (ethology)|dominant]] males. Males may either defend their mates or try to forcibly copulate with them. Weaker males, who may not be dominant, might choose the second method.<ref name="lek">{{cite journal |last1=Isvaran |first1=K. |author2-link=Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala |last2=Jhala |first2=Y.V. |name-list-style=amp |title=Variation in lekking costs in blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''): Relationship to lek-territory location and female mating patterns |journal=Behaviour |date=2000 |volume=137 |issue=5 |pages=547–563 |doi=10.1163/156853900502204 |url=http://www.iisc.ernet.in/~currsci/oct102005/1192.pdf}}</ref>

The blackbuck is severely affected by natural calamities such as floods and droughts, from which it can take as long as five years to recover.<ref name=jhala2/> The [[wolf]] is a major [[predator]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jhala |first1=Y.V. |title=Predation on blackbuck by wolves in Velavadar National Park, Gujarat, India |journal=Conservation Biology |year=1993 |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=874–881 |doi=10.1046/j.1523-1739.1993.740874.x}}</ref> Old rutting bulls might be especially vulnerable prey.<ref name="jhala2">{{cite book |last1=Jhala |first1=Y.V. |title=Habitat and population dynamics of wolves and blackbuck in Velavadar National Park, Gujarat |publisher=Ph.D. dissertation |year=1991}}</ref> The [[golden jackal]] hunts juveniles. Village dogs are reported to kill fawns, but are unlikely to successfully hunt and kill adults.<ref name=Ranjitsinh1989>{{cite book |author=Ranjitsinh, M. K. |date=1989 |title=The Indian Blackbuck |publisher=Natraj Publishers |location=Dehradun}}</ref>

Blackbucks in [[Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary]] show flexible habitat use as the resources and risks change seasonally in the landscape. They use small patches in the area of about {{convert|3|km2|abbr=on}}. Human activities strongly influenced the movement of herds, but the presence of small refuges allowed them to persist in the landscape.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Krishna |first1=Y. C. |last2=Kumar |first2=A. |last3=Isvaran |first3=K. |name-list-style=amp |date=2016 |title=Wild Ungulate Decision-Making and the Role of Tiny Refuges in Human-Dominated Landscapes |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=e0151748 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0151748 |pmid=26985668 |pmc=4795686 |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1151748K |doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Diet===
[[File:Antilope cervicapra 04.JPG|thumb|Blackbuck prefer grass]]
The blackbuck is a herbivore and grazes on low grasses, occasionally [[Browsing (herbivory)|browsing]] as well. It prefers [[sedge]]s, [[fall witchgrass]], [[mesquite]], and [[live oak]] and was occasionally observed browsing on [[acacia]] trees in the [[Cholistan Desert]].<ref name=Mallon2001/> Oats and berseem were found to be palatable and nutritious to captive populations.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pathak |first1=N.N. |last2=Kewalramani |first2=N. |last3=Kamra |name-list-style=amp |first3=D.N. |title=Intake and digestibility of oats (''Avena sativa'') and berseem (''Trifolium alexandrinum'') in adult blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra'') |journal=Small Ruminant Research |date=1992 |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=265–268 |doi=10.1016/0921-4488(92)90047-8}}</ref> In [[Velavadar Black Buck Sanctuary]], ''[[Dichanthium annulatum]]'' comprised 35% of the diet. Digestion of nutrients, especially [[crude protein]]s, was poor in summer, but more efficient in the rainy and winter seasons. Crude protein intake in summer was very low, even below the recommended value. Blackbuck consumed less food in summer than in winter, and often foraged on the fruits of ''[[Prosopis juliflora]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jadeja |first1=S. |last2=Prasad |first2=S. |last3=Quader |first3=S. |last4=Isvaran |first4=K. |year=2013 |title=Antelope mating strategies facilitate invasion of grasslands by a woody weed |journal=Oikos |volume=122 |issue=10 |pages=1441–1452 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00320.x |url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1540&context=bioscifacpub}}</ref> ''Prosopis'' becomes a significant food item if grasses are scarce.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jhala |first1=Y.V. |title=Seasonal effects on the nutritional ecology of blackbuck ''Antilope cervicapra'' |journal=Journal of Applied Ecology |year=1997 |volume=34 |issue=6 |pages=1348–1358 |jstor=2405252 |doi=10.2307/2405252}}</ref> Water is a daily requirement of the blackbuck.<ref name=iucn />

===Reproduction===
[[File:CourtshipDisplay.jpg|thumbnail|right|[[Courtship display]] in blackbuck]]
Females become [[sexually mature]] at the age of eight months, but mate no earlier than two years. Males mature at the age of one-and-a-half years. Mating takes place throughout the year; peaks occur during spring and fall in Texas.<ref name=texas/> Two peaks have been observed in India: from August to October and from March to April.<ref name="vats">{{cite journal |last1=Vats |first1=R. |last2=Bhardwaj |first2=C.S. |name-list-style=amp |title=A study of reproductive behaviour of Indian black buck (''Antilope cervicapra'') Linn. with reference to courtship, breeding, fawning and colouration |journal=Current World Environment |year=2009 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=121–125 |url=http://www.cwejournal.org/pdf/vol4no1/CWEVO4NO1P121-125.pdf |doi=10.12944/CWE.4.1.18 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Rutting males aggressively establish and defend their territories from other males, giving out loud grunts and engaging in serious head-to-head fights, pushing each other using horns.<ref name=Nowak1999/> Aggressive [[display (zoology)|display]] consists of thrusting the neck forward and raising it, folding the ears and raising the tail. The dominant male pursues the female with his nose pointing upward, smells her urine and shows a [[flehmen]] response. The female shows her receptivity by waving her tail and thumping the hindlegs on the ground. This is followed by several mounting attempts, and copulation. The whole process may last as long as six hours. The female will remain still for some time after copulation, following which she may start grazing. The male may then move on to mate with another female.<ref name=vats/><ref>{{cite journal |name-list-style=amp |last1=Archunan |first1=G. |last2=Rajagopal |first2=T. |title=Detection of estrus in Indian blackbuck: Behavioural, hormonal and urinary volatiles evaluation |journal=General and Comparative Endocrinology |year=2013 |volume=181 |pages=156–166 |doi=10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.11.012 |pmid=23229002}}</ref>

[[Gestation]] typically lasts six months,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Holt |first1=W. V. |last2=Moore |first2=H. D. M. |name-list-style=amp |last3=North |first3=R. D. |last4=Hartman |first4=T. D. |last5=Hodges |first5=J. K. |title=Hormonal and behavioural detection of oestrus in blackbuck, ''Antilope cervicapra'', and successful artificial insemination with fresh and frozen semen |journal=Reproduction |date=1988 |volume=82 |issue=2 |pages=717–725 |doi=10.1530/jrf.0.0820717 |pmid=3361506 |doi-access=free}}</ref> after which a single calf is born.<ref name=texas/> Newborns are a light yellow; infant males may have a black patch on the head and the neck.<ref name=vats/> Young are [[precocial]], they can stand on their own soon after birth.<ref name=Nowak1999/> Females can mate again after a month of parturition.<ref name=texas/> Juveniles remain active and playful throughout the day. Juvenile males turn black gradually, darkening notably after the third year.<ref name=vats/> The lifespan is typically 10 to 15 years.<ref name=mares/><ref name=texas/>

==Threats==
[[File:Blackbuck carving.jpg|thumb|upright|Blackbuck carved on temple pillar at Lepakshi (16th century)]]
During the 20th century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation. Some blackbucks are [[poaching|killed illegally]] especially where the species is [[sympatric]] with [[nilgai]].<ref name=iucn />

Until [[Independence of India|India's independence]] in 1947, blackbuck and [[chinkara]] were hunted in many [[princely states]] with specially trained captive [[Asiatic cheetah]]s. By the 1970s, blackbuck was [[locally extinct]] in several areas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Black bucks of Abohar |last1=Luna |first1=R. K. |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020525/windows/main3.htm |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |year=2002}}</ref>

== Conservation==
The blackbuck is listed under [[CITES#Appendix III|Appendix III]] of [[CITES]].<ref name=MSW3/>
In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972]].<ref name=krishna/><ref>{{cite web |title=Schedule I - Wildlife Protection Act |url=http://www.moef.nic.in/legis/wildlife/wildlife2s1.pdf |website=moef.nic.in |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India |access-date=11 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218144211/http://www.moef.nic.in/legis/wildlife/wildlife2s1.pdf |archive-date=18 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It inhabits several [[protected areas of India]], including
* in Gujarat: Velavadar National Park,<ref name=iucn /><ref name="Mallon2001">{{cite book |last1=Mallon |first1=D.P. |last2=Kingswood |first2=S.C. |last3=East |first3=R. |title=Antelopes : Global Survey and Regional Action Plans |year=2001 |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ([[IUCN]]) |location=Gland, Switzerland |isbn=978-2-8317-0594-1 |page=184}}</ref> [[Gir Forest National Park]];<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/lab/cons-lab/documents/Singh_Gibson_Biol_Cons_2011.pdf |title=A conservation success story in the otherwise dire megafauna extinction crisis: The Asiatic lion (''Panthera leo persica'') of Gir forest |last1=Singh |first1=H. S. |last2=Gibson |first2=L. |year=2011 |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=144 |issue=5 |pages=1753–7 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2011.02.009}}</ref>
*in Bihar: [[Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary]];
*in Maharashtra: [[Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary]];
*in Madhya Pradesh: [[Kanha National Park]]<ref>{{cite web |title=MP's Kanha park gets its blackbucks back |date=19 January 2017 |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-mp-s-kanha-park-gets-its-blackbucks-back-2293890}}</ref>
*in Rajasthan: [[Tal Chhapar Sanctuary]], [[National Chambal Sanctuary]], [[Ranthambhore National Park]]<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Bagchi, S. |author2=Goyal, S. P. |author3=Sankar, K. |year=2003 |title=Habitat separation among ungulates in dry tropical forests of Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan |journal=Tropical Ecology |volume=44 |issue=2 |pages=175–182 |citeseerx=10.1.1.547.4828}}</ref>
*in Karnataka: [[Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary]];
*in Tamil Nadu: [[Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary]],<ref name=iucn /> [[Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Joseph |first1=P.P. |title=Steps taken to save blackbucks |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/steps-taken-to-save-blackbucks/article1037275.ece |access-date=11 March 2016 |work=[[The Hindu]] |year=2011}}</ref> [[Guindy National Park]].
A captive population is maintained in Pakistan's [[Lal Suhanra National Park]].<ref name=Mallon2001/>

==In culture==
[[File:Akbar Hunting Black Buck-Akbarnama.jpg|thumbnail|[[Akbar]] hunting blackbuck (''[[Akbarnama]]'', c.1590–5)]]
[[File:A small carriage pulled by deer at Baroda in the 1890s.jpg|thumbnail|Pair of blackbucks trained to pull a small carriage]]
The blackbuck has associations with the [[Indian culture]]. The antelope might have been a source of food in the [[Indus Valley civilisation]] (3300–1700 BCE); bone remains have been discovered in sites such as [[Dholavira]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=McIntosh |first1=J. R. |title=The Ancient Indus Valley : New Perspectives |year=2008 |publisher=ABC-Clio |location=Santa Barbara, California (US) |isbn=978-1-57607-907-2 |page=139 |url={{Google Books |id=1AJO2A-CbccC |page=139 |plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> and [[Mehrgarh]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=van der Geer |first1=A. |title=Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured through Time |year=2008 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden, Netherlands |isbn=978-90-474-4356-8 |pages=55–6 |url={{Google Books |id=fs36CQAAQBAJ |page=55 |plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> The blackbuck is routinely depicted in miniature paintings of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] era (16th to 19th centuries) depicting royal hunts often using cheetahs.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hughes |first1=J.E. |title=Animal Kingdoms: Hunting, the Environment, and Power in the Indian Princely States |date=2013 |publisher=Harvard University Press |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts (US) |isbn=978-0-674-07280-0 |pages=151–154 |edition=First}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Welch |first1=S.C. |title=The Emperors' Album : Images of Mughal India |year=1987 |publisher=Abrams |location=New York, US |isbn=978-0-8109-0886-4 |page=185}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Topsfield |first1=A. |title=Paintings from Mughal India |year=2013 |publisher=University of Oxford Press |location=Oxford, UK |isbn=978-1-85124-087-6 |page=45 |edition=New}}</ref> Villagers in India and Nepal generally do not harm the blackbuck.<ref name=dinerstein>{{cite book |last1=Dinerstein |first1=E. |title=Discovering Big Cat Country: On the Trail of Tigers and Snow Leopards |year=2013 |publisher=Island Press |location=Washington, US |isbn=978-1-61091-479-6}}</ref> Tribes such as the [[Bishnoi]]s revere and care for most animals including the blackbuck.<ref name=krishna/><ref name=geer/>

The animal is mentioned in [[Sanskrit Language|Sanskrit]] texts as the ''krishna mrig''.<ref name=krishna/> According to [[Hindu mythology]], the blackbuck draws the chariot of [[Lord Krishna]].<ref name=dinerstein/> The blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of [[Vayu]] (the wind god), [[Soma (drink)|Soma]] (the divine drink) and [[Chandra]] (the moon god).<ref name="krishna">{{cite book |last1=Krishna |first1=N. |title=Sacred Animals of India |date=2010 |publisher=Penguin Books India |location=New Delhi, India |isbn=978-0-14-306619-4}}</ref> In Tamil Nadu, the blackbuck is considered to be the vehicle of the Hindu goddess [[Korravai]].<ref name=geer>{{cite book |last1=van der Geer |first1=A. |title=Animals in Stone : Indian Mammals Sculptured through Time |url=https://archive.org/details/animalsstoneindi00geer |url-access=limited |year=2008 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden, South Holland (Netherlands) |isbn=978-90-04-16819-0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/animalsstoneindi00geer/page/n129 57]–58}}</ref> In Rajasthan, the goddess [[Karni Mata]] is believed to protect the blackbuck.<ref name=geer/>

In the [[Yājñavalkya Smṛti]], [[Yagyavalkya|Sage Yagyavalkya]] is quoted stating "''in what country there is black antelope, in that [[Dharma]] must be known''", which is interpreted to mean that certain religious practices including sacrifices were not to be performed where blackbuck did not roam.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vidyarnava |first1=R.B.S.C. |title=The Sacred Books of the Hindus |year=1918 |publisher=Sudhnidra Nath Vasu |location=Allahabad |url=https://archive.org/stream/yajnavalkyasmrit00yj/yajnavalkyasmrit00yj#page/4/mode/2up |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Goodall |editor1-first=D. |title=Hindu Scriptures |year=1996 |publisher=University of California |location=Berkeley (US) |isbn=978-0-520-20778-3 |page=295}}</ref>

The hide of the blackbuck (''krishnajina'' in Hindi) is deemed to be sacred in Hinduism. According to the scriptures, it is to be sat upon only by ''[[brahmin]]''s (priests), ''[[sadhu]]''s and ''[[yogi]]''s (sages), forest-dwellers and ''[[bhikshu]]''s (mendicants).<ref name=geer/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Thapar |first1=Valmik |title=Land of the Tiger : A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent |date=1997 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley (US) |isbn=978-0-520-21470-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/landoftigernatur00thap/page/172 172] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/landoftigernatur00thap/page/172}}</ref> Blackbuck meat is highly regarded in Texas.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bonnell |first1=J. |title=Jon Bonnell's Fine Texas Cuisine |date=2009 |publisher=Gibbs Smith |location=Layton, Utah (US) |isbn=978-1-4236-0523-2 |page=122 |edition=1st}}</ref> In an analysis, blackbuck milk was found to have 6.9% protein, 9.3% fat, and 4.3% [[lactose]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dill |first1=C. W. |last2=Tybor |first2=P. T. |last3=Mcgill |first3=R. |last4=Ramsey |first4=C. W. |title=Gross composition and fatty acid constitution of blackbuck antelope (''Antilope cervicapra'') milk |journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology |year=1972 |volume=50 |issue=8 |pages=1127–1129 |doi=10.1139/z72-150 |pmid=5056105}}</ref>

In some agricultural areas in [[northern India]], the blackbuck are found in large numbers and raid crop fields.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jhala |first1=Y. V. |title=Damage to ''Sorghum'' crop by blackbuck |journal=International Journal of Pest Management |date=January 1993 |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=23–7 |doi=10.1080/09670879309371754}}</ref> However, the damage caused by blackbuck is far lower than that caused by the nilgai.<ref name=chauhan>{{cite journal |last1=Chauhan |first1=N.P.S. |last2=Singh |first2=R. |title=Crop damage by overabundant populations of nilgai and blackbuck in Haryana (India) and its management (Paper 13) |journal=Proceedings of the Fourteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference 1990 |date=1990 |pages=218–20 |url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=vpc14}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chauhan |first1=N.P.S. |last2=Sawarkar |first2=V.B. |title=Problems of over-abundant populations of 'Nilgai' and 'Blackbuck' in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh and their management |journal=The Indian Forester |year=1989 |volume=115 |issue=7 |pages=488–493}}</ref>

In 2018, Bollywood actor [[Salman Khan]], in a high-profile case, was sentenced to five years imprisonment for poaching a blackbuck in 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/20-yrs-on-blackbuck-killing-verdict-live-updates/articleshow/63621241.cms |title=Blackbuck poaching case: Salman Khan gets 5-year jail term |date=5 April 2018 |work=The Economic Times |access-date=5 April 2018}}</ref>

{{Gallery
|title=Blackbuck as a heraldry symbol of some princely states of India
|width=100
|height=100
|lines=1
|align=center
|File:Barwani State coat of arms.png|[[Barwani State|Barwani]] [[coat of arms]]
|File:Jaisalmer State CoA.png|[[Jaisalmer State|Jaisalmer]] coat of arms
|File:Jaora CoA.png|[[Jaora State|Jaora]] coat of arms
|File:Malerkotla State CoA.png|[[Malerkotla State|Malerkotla]] coat of arms
|File:Nawanagar State-coa.png|[[Nawanagar State|Nawanagar]] coat of arms
|File:Radhanpur State-CoA392.jpg|[[Radhanpur State|Radhanpur]] coat of arms
|File:Samthar State CoA.png|[[Samthar State|Samthar]] coat of arms
}}

==See also==
*[[Chital]]
*[[Sambar deer]]
*[[Barasingha]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscat-inline|Antilope cervicapra|Antilope cervicapra}}
*{{Wikispecies-inline|Antilope cervicapra}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/3017.shtml BBC Nature: Blackbuck]

{{Artiodactyla|R.5}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q183339}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Antilopini]]
[[Category:Antelopes of Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of India]]
[[Category:Mammals of Nepal]]
[[Category:Mammals of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Doab (India)]]
[[Category:Fauna of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Fauna of South Asia]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Thar Desert]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1758]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Symbols of Haryana]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Haryanvi Praant (India)]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Andhra Praant (India)]]

Emblem of Chhattisgarh

2023-01-12T13:42:47Z

185.118.30.133:

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox coat of arms
| name = Emblem of Chhattisgarh
|image = ..Chhattisgarh Flag(INDIA).png
| image_width = 200
| middle =
| middle_width =
| middle_caption =
| lesser =
| lesser_width =
| lesser_caption =
| armiger = The [[Government of Chhattisgarh]]
| year_adopted = 2000
| crest =
| torse =
| shield = [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]]
| supporters = [[Rice]]
| compartment = Rivers, lightning bolts
| motto = Chhattisgarh Sarkar (Government of Chhattisgarh)
| orders =
| other_elements = 36 [[fortresses]]
| earlier_versions =
| use =
}}
The '''Emblem of Chhattisgarh''' is the [[official seal]] of the government of the [[India]]n [[States of India|state]] of [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hubert-herald.nl/BhaChhattisgarh.htm |title=Chhattisgarh |publisher=Hubert-herald.nl |date= |accessdate=2020-03-15}}</ref> It was adopted on 1 November 2000 when Chhattisgarh state was formed from part of Madhya Pradesh.

==Design==
The emblem is a circular seal depicting the [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] encircled by ears of rice. Below the capital are three wavy lines in the colours of the Indian national flag, which represent the rivers of the state, flanked by two lightning bolts which represent as Energy Surplus State. The whole emblem is surrounded by 36 fortifications representing the 36 fortresses after which the state is named.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-State-Emblem-of-Chhattisgarh |title=What is the State Emblem of Chhattisgarh? |publisher=Quora |date=2000-11-01 |accessdate=2020-03-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://unacademy.com/lesson/symbols-of-chhattisgarh-in-hindi/25VDVYNO |title=(Hindi) Summary of Chhattisgarh for CGPSC By Abhinandan Jain - Unacademy Plus |publisher=Unacademy.com |date= |accessdate=2020-03-15}}</ref>

==Government banner==
The Government of Chhattisgarh can be represented by a banner displaying the emblem of the state on a white field.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/chhattisgarh-state-of-india-flag-textile-cloth-fabric-waving-on-the-top-sunrise-mist-gm1067415136-285466926|title=Chhattisgarh state of India flag on flagpole textile cloth fabric...|website=iStock}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[National Emblem of India]]
* [[List of Indian state emblems]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian state emblems}}

[[Category:Government of Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Indian state seals|Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Symbols of Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Provincial symbols of Chhattisgarh Praant (India)]]

{{Chhattisgarh-stub}}