Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Gemsbok

Oryx gazella

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It has a specialised network of blood vessels in its nose that cools the blood before it reaches the brain, letting it tolerate internal body temperatures of up to 45 °C.

Weight

200 kg – 250 kg

Size

up to 1.4 m

Lifespan

19 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertHerbivore Variable activity In herds Savanna Desert Mammal

10countries 12parks86same family2featured routes

Fun facts

It can tolerate internal body temperatures of up to 45 °C without brain damage.
It can outrun a horse or a pack of hunting dogs.
It gets most of its water from plants such as the tsamma melon.
fisiologíaIt can go several days without drinking, taking the moisture it needs from the plants it eats and tolerating internal body temperatures higher than most mammals could bear.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dry grassland, arid steppe, light woodland and desert country of south-western Africa, including the Kalahari
Birth weight: 9-15 kg at birth, hidden in vegetation for 3-6 weeks
Size at birth: 9-15 kg at birth
Sexual maturity: ~2 years
Gestation / incubation: 270-300 days (~9 months)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per birth
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 23.8 years

Sources consulted: Inverdoorn (Western Cape Safari Guide); Brightszoo; Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Britannica; PMC (genome assembly gemsbok study)