Category: Animals
Published on: August 21st, 2025
New Blesbok Pair Bound into the Africa Section
We’ve recently had some exciting new arrivals out on the Safari Drive! After spending a few weeks getting to know each other behind the scenes, our female blesbok, Blondie, who came to us from Belfast Zoo, and a new male called Marine, who joined us from Blackpool Zoo, have now moved into their new home in the Africa section of the Safari Drive.
As soon as the gates opened, the pair bounded out of their house full of energy, clearly eager to explore their new surroundings. They wasted no time meeting their new neighbours, the sitatunga, and seemed instantly at home among the grassy plains of the Africa habitat.
Blesbok are a species of antelope native to the open grasslands of South Africa. With their distinctive white facial blaze and striking curved horns, they’re a distinctive and charismatic addition to the Safari Drive.
Once hunted almost to extinction in the 19th century for their meat and hides, blesbok populations have recovered thanks to protection and responsible wildlife management. Today, they are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but habitat loss and overgrazing still pose ongoing challenges in the wild.
Blondie and Marine are part of an exciting reintroduction of blesbok to our Safari Drive, marking the first step in expanding the presence of this species at Knowsley, ahead of the introduction of another male and female later in the year. The group are part of an EAZA Ex situ Programme (EEP) - a breeding programme to maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations of threatened species in captivity.
Be sure to keep an eye out for them next time you’re on the Safari Drive - they’re easy to spot with their glossy coats, impressive horns, and energetic personalities!
