Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)

Overview
The Gemsbok is a powerful, desert-adapted antelope symbolic of Namibia’s arid landscapes. Built for endurance, it thrives in harsh, sun-scorched environments, surviving on minimal water and sparse vegetation.

Desert Survivalist
Gemsbok can raise their body temperature to reduce water loss, pant to cool down, and extract moisture from food like tsama melons and succulents. They feed on grasses, herbs, leaves, and flowers, especially in dry seasons.

Habitat & Behaviour
They favour open grasslands, sand dunes, and rocky desert areas. Active mainly in cooler hours, gemsbok rest in shade—or orient their bodies to minimize sun exposure when shade is unavailable. Known for their territorial behaviour, dominant bulls defend areas while herds of females and non-territorial males roam between them.

Breeding & Defence
Calves are born year-round after a 9-month gestation. Both sexes have sharp horns—females longer and slender, males shorter and thicker. These horns can be lethal; gemsbok have been known to fatally defend against predators like lions.

Size & Appearance
Striking in appearance, gemsbok have bold black-and-white facial markings, black leg and flank stripes, and a long black tail. Bulls stand about 1.2 m at the shoulder and weigh up to 240 kg.

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