Mammal Monday - We've a spring in our step

Image from here.

Continuing our interest in South Africa, the first of the countries on our great trek, I thought this mammal monday we'd devote to the South African national animal the Springbok. Which quite literally means jump (spring) bok (antelope/goat)...and jump these guys do. They can leap 3.50 m and can long jump of up to 15 m.

These little mammals, for anyone that's been to Africa, are pretty common to garden and it wasn't unusual for me growing up with the similar (but not quite the same) beasts - the impala - to mutter about how very dull they are. This being said Springboks have a pretty cool little habit called "pronking" (which comes from the Afrikaans for showing off) where they jump repeatedly 4 metres into the air, stiff legged, with their backs bowed. 

Image from here.

No one is quite sure why they do this but they seem to do it when nervous or over-excited so it could be:
1) indicate to predators they've been spotted and in doing so, show off their own strength and agility thus encouraging the wicked carnivores to look at less impressive jumpers
2) spraying scent from a gland near their ankle
3) I would argue mating, these things always have something to do with mating.

An interesting little fun fact: During the Second Boer War, a Boer force attempting to sneak up on the Royal Canadian Dragoons was defeated after their movements startled the nearby springbok, thus alerting the Canadian sentries, which is why the Dragoons have the springbok as their cap badge and as their mascot.

Image from here.

Ah wiki, what would I do without you....