The blackbuck lives in the open woodlands and semi-desert areas of the Indian subcontinent. About the size of a large deer, the blackbuck is a member of the antelope family, with permanent horns rather than antlers that may be shed.
Male blackbucks are a rich dark brown, becoming darker with age.
The blackbuck has long been prized for its meat and as a trophy. Once the most abundant hoofed mammal in India, the blackbuck has been greatly reduced in numbers through excessive hunting and loss of habitat due to agricultural development. The blackbuck can run very fast, usually outrunning greyhounds, but is vulnerable to the cheetah. This agile animal usually bounds high in the air a few times before settling into a gallop or run. Herds are essentially harems, with a single adult male and a number of adult females and young.