The Kalahari is synonymous with this strong, attractive animal, a southern strain of the oryx from East Africa. One of the most famous animal scenes in the area is a herd of gemsbok climbing a red sand dune. Its amazing adaptations to its arid surroundings are what give it its stunning appearance.

Five Intriguing Gemsbok Facts

The straight, rapier-like horns of a gemsbok can grow up to 120 cm in length, and the female’s horns are thinner and longer. They use their horns as deadly weapons against predators and in territorial conflicts. Lions can be killed by gemsbok.

These antelopes may go for extended periods of time throughout the year without drinking because of their sluggish metabolism. Their diet, which includes desert melons they dig up during droughts, provides them with the hydration they require.

By allowing their body temperature to reach an incredible 45°C and then releasing the accumulated heat at night, gemsbok reduce the amount of water they lose through perspiration. The carotid rete, a delicate network of blood veins in the nose, circulates and cools all blood that travels to the brain, preventing overheating.

Bachelor males create distinct herds, and a dominant breeding male leads a harem of females and young, as is the case with the majority of other Kalahari antelope. Gemsbok, on the other hand, create mixed-sex herds.

A female stays close by and visits her calf a few times a day to nurse it for three to six weeks after giving birth. The light brown hue of the calf serves as camouflage. The remarkable black-and-white markings on its face do not appear until it is ready to accompany the mother in the herd.