Animal profile

Gemsbok

Oryx gazella

MammaliaArid and semi-arid grassland, dune fields and stony desertLeast Concern

Field profile

The gemsbok is a heavily built desert antelope with a striking black-and-white facial mask and long straight horns carried by both sexes. It survives in country with almost no surface water, feeding on grasses, tsamma melons and roots. It is the national animal of Namibia.

Published field notes

2025-06-02

Gemsbok

Gemsbok let their body temperature climb

Rather than sweating to stay cool, a gemsbok can allow its core temperature to rise well above normal during the hottest hours, storing heat instead of spending water, then shedding it at night.

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