The national animal of South Africa is the springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), a slender, fast-running antelope whose name comes from the Afrikaans words for "jump" and "buck." Famous for its spring-loaded leaping display and instantly recognised as the badge of the national rugby team, the springbok has stood as a symbol of South African grace, speed and resilience for well over a century.
Meet the Springbok
The springbok is a medium-sized gazelle that stands roughly 75 centimetres at the shoulder and weighs between 30 and 44 kilograms, with males slightly heavier than females. Its coat is striking: a warm cinnamon-brown upper body separated from a clean white belly by a bold dark brown band running along each flank. Both sexes carry ringed, lyre-shaped horns, though those of the male are thicker and longer.
The animal's signature behaviour is "pronking" (from the Afrikaans pronk, meaning "to show off"). When excited or alarmed, a springbok springs repeatedly into the air with a stiff-legged, arched-back bound that can carry it up to two metres off the ground. Scientists believe pronking signals fitness to predators and helps coordinate the herd. The springbok is also blisteringly quick, reaching speeds near 88 km/h, which ranks it among the fastest land mammals on Earth.
Why the Springbok Was Chosen
The springbok became a national emblem in 1906, when South Africa's touring rugby side adopted the antelope as its symbol on a tour of the British Isles. The choice reflected qualities the young nation admired in itself: grace, agility, endurance and a tight identification with the dry highveld and Karoo landscapes where the animal thrives. From rugby the springbok spread into wider national identity, appearing on coins, stamps, sporting kit and the tail fin of the national airline for decades.
Unlike many official national animals, the springbok was never formally proclaimed by legislation as the sole national symbol; rather, it earned the status through long association and popular recognition. That informal but powerful identity is why the springbok remains the animal most South Africans name when asked about their country's emblem.
A Symbol With a Complicated History
The springbok carries real political weight. During the apartheid era it was closely tied to white South African identity and to the racially segregated national rugby team, making it a divisive emblem for the country's Black majority. After apartheid ended, there were calls to retire the symbol entirely.
The turning point came at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, hosted in South Africa. President Nelson Mandela walked onto the field at the final wearing the green-and-gold Springbok jersey and captain's number, an act that reframed a symbol of division as one of reconciliation and shared national pride. The moment, later dramatised in the film Invictus, is widely regarded as one of the most powerful gestures in sporting history. Today the springbok endures as the rugby team's name and badge, while the king protea flower serves as the broader national sporting emblem.
Where Springbok Live
Springbok are native to the open, arid country of southern Africa, ranging across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and a small corner of Angola. Within South Africa they are most abundant in the Northern Cape, Free State and North West provinces, favouring dry grasslands, semi-desert scrub and open savanna where they can spot predators from a distance.
Historically, springbok formed some of the largest mammal migrations ever recorded. Vast herds known as trekbokken once stretched to the horizon, with eyewitness accounts describing millions of animals taking days to pass a single point. Those great migrations have ended, and modern springbok are found mainly on farms, game ranches and protected reserves rather than roaming free across the landscape. To explore more about the country itself, see our south africa country guide.
Conservation and Everyday Life
The springbok is one of conservation's success stories. The IUCN classifies it as Least Concern, with a total population estimated at 2 to 2.5 million and numbers that have actually grown in recent decades. Much of that growth comes from commercial farming: springbok are widely raised for their lean venison, which is dried into the popular South African snack biltong, and for regulated sport hunting. The species adapts well to managed grazing and needs little surface water, drawing most of its moisture from the plants it eats, which lets it survive in regions too dry for many other antelope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is South Africa's national animal?
It is the springbok, a swift brown-and-white antelope known for its leaping "pronk" and for being the emblem of the national rugby team.
Why is the rugby team called the Springboks?
The team adopted the springbok as its symbol during a 1906 tour of Britain, and the name has remained ever since, surviving even post-apartheid debates about retiring it.
Is the springbok endangered?
No. The springbok is listed as Least Concern, with a healthy population of around 2 to 2.5 million animals, partly sustained by farming and game reserves.
How fast can a springbok run?
A springbok can sprint at roughly 88 km/h and leap up to two metres into the air, making it one of the fastest and most agile antelopes in the world.