In recent years, it’s also become a mascot for wildlife conservation in western India, particularly Rajasthan and Gujarat, which have their own sub-species called Antilope cervicapra rajputanae. Swift and agile, it’s native to India and Nepal. One usually finds it in grassy and thinly forested areas, near water.
The open grassland and dry climate is ideal for these creatures. You can capture that startled “deer in the headlights” look with your lens, before they streak off at a fast run.
Kanha is another great place to spot these beautiful creatures and capture them on camera, as they dart across the open meadows.
In fact, local tribes like the Bishnois, consider it a sacred creature and protect both the animal and its habitat. Several spiritualists and tribe consider it a holy animal, and there are several mentions of it in Hindu scripture.
In the old days, kings used to hunt the Blackbuck with highly trained Cheetahs. Ironically, the Cheetah is now extinct, while the Blackbuck has survived. Today, it is a heavily protected species, and immense conservation efforts have brought the numbers back to West, Central and South Indian forests.
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