Springbok often go into bouts of repeated high leaps (up to 3 meters) into the air in a practice known as "pronking" (Afrikaans: pronk = to show off) or "stotting". While pronking, the Springbok leaps back into the air as soon as it comes down, with its back bowed and the white fan lifted. While the exact cause of this behaviour is unknown, springboks exhibit this activity when they are nervous or otherwise excited. One theory is that pronking is meant to indicate to predators that they have been spotted. Another is that Springbok show off their individual strength and fitness so that the predator will go for another (presumably weaker) member of the group.