Body orientation of blesbok in a shadeless environment

Abstract

The body orientation of blesbok Damaliscus dorcas phillipsi in relation to sun angle and wind direction was investigated in a shadeless environment in the central Orange Free State. During early morning and late afternoon, when the sun’s altitude and ambient temperature are relatively low, the antelope evidently orientate laterally towards the sun. As the temperature increases during midday, the antelope show a tendency to orientate in line with the incoming radiation but laterally in rela­tion to wind direction.