Hidden in plain sight

Click to enlarge

You’re probably wondering – what’s he on about? What’s hidden? I mean this steenbok couldn’t be more obvious. Well that’s because I highlighted the animal and the rocks amongst which it is sitting. Yeah, it does stick out against a dulled, blurry background.

But hang on. Is this a steenbok? Certainly that was my immediate reaction.

Those horns have grown outwards and backwards. The steenbok horns are normally small and straight up. Yet the environment and situation are typical of a steenbok. They tend to be solitary animals, except during the mating season. They’re often seen on koppies and amongst rocks and they tend to sit or stand still until the last moment, only bolting when it’s imperative to do so. Difficult to spot in the wild, but obvious once you see one. I think I found a steenbok calmy sitting amongst the rocks. And it makes a lovely picture.

Could it be a reedbuck? Possibly. A friend who knows his antelope thinks so. But then it’s a juvenile because the horns are underdeveloped. In which case, is it likely to be sitting out in the open? On its own? Probably not. Also, the surroundings don’t match expectations, given these animals are normally found near water.

Maybe it’s an impala. Google thinks so. But again, then it’s a youngster judging by the size of its horns. And the environment doesn’t lend itself to this argument. Neither does the fact that it’s alone. – unless the photographer isolated it in the shot. (I didn’t.) And the classic rear end M isn’t evident. Although, sitting on its rump may have kept this impala telltale hidden. Hmm, I don’t think you’ve picked the right one this time, Google.

Does any of this matter. Maybe, if you’re a naturalist. Or extremely fickle. For me, I came across a beautiful animal that I almost didn’t see, it was so camouflaged amongst the rocks. And the word steenbok translates into stone buck in English.

Good enough for me.