Spring is in the air and with it comes offspring. SANParks recently shared a heartwarming video of a brand new bontebok lamb frolicking in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park.
Bontebok lambs are born anytime from September to October – with a gestation period of almost 8 months. It is fascinating to learn that the little lambs are mobile and able to run alongside their mother as soon as 30 minutes after being born. They stay with their parent until they are a year old, or until the next litter are born. Generally bontebok give birth to single lambs but twins are a high probability too.
‘The first two Bontebok Lambs were born in Cape of Good Hope Section today. It’s the lambing season so we ask park users to drive with caution especially on the secondary roads as many of the youngsters are not used to vehicles and prone to running around,’ said SANParks in a Facebook post.
Bontebok are endemic to the Western Cape. According to Biodiversity Explorer, the species was close to extinction in the 1800s and steps were taken in 1837 to conserve these animals. ‘In 1931 the first Bontebok National Park was proclaimed, but in 1961, 84 bontebok were moved to a new and more suitable site near Swellendam,’ the website says.
Take a look at the video below.
Image credit: Screenshot from Facebook video
