This Baby Waterbuck Wears His Heart on His Nose. So Does Nearly Every Waterbuck

A male waterbuck calf at Safari Ramat Gan in Israel has made it through his first months and now moves around the park’s African savanna area beside his mother. He also has a white, heart-shaped mark on his nose, which has made him a favorite with visitors.¹

The calf was born several months ago, according to JFeed. JFeed reported that he has survived the critical early months and grown stronger, which is how the Safari describes his progress. Safari staff are keeping track of how he develops.¹

The news comes from a single report by JFeed, which credited its photos and footage to Shira Inbar Danin, the Safari’s spokesperson. Hebrew outlets Kikar HaShabbat and News08 carried the same details.¹²

A heart that comes standard

The heart is real. It is also not rare. White patches around the nose and mouth are a normal waterbuck trait, along with white patches above the eyes and on the throat, according to the African Wildlife Foundation.³ A Kruger Park guide describes the species the same way, with white around the eyes and nose and a white collar under the throat.⁴

The heart part comes from people who spend time watching them. A guide writing on the blog of Londolozi, a reserve in South Africa, pointed to the waterbuck’s heart-shaped nose as a feature of the species.⁵ So the calf is not an exception. He is a good, clear example of a look that waterbuck are known for.

Meet the waterbuck

Waterbuck are large antelope from sub-Saharan Africa, where they live in savanna grasslands and woodlands along rivers. Their shaggy coat is brownish gray and gives off an oily secretion that is thought to help waterproof it.³

Only males grow horns, which are ridged and can reach about 100 centimeters. Mothers carry their young for about nine months before birth.³

Why the first months matter

Waterbuck calves spend their first two to four weeks hidden in thick brush and are weaned at six to eight months, so a young calf is still fairly vulnerable.⁵ In the wild, waterbuck face lions, hyenas, leopards and crocodiles.³

Ramat Gan’s savanna has a different kind of crowd. The calf shares it with zebras, wildebeest, hippopotamuses and other animals. JFeed noted that young calves there have to learn to cope with all kinds of new sights and sounds, and to stay close to their mothers.¹ Growing up next door to a hippo is a lot to take in.