The most distinctive features of this heavily built antelope are its long, rapier-shaped horns and striking black and white facial markings. The beautiful horns of the gemsbok are sought after as charms in many cultures and were even sold as unicorn horns in medieval England. The body is fawn-grey with a black stripe along the side separating the upperparts from the white underparts, and there are extensive black areas on its upper legs. The gemsbok has a long, horse-like tail, and whilst both sexes possess the impressive horns, those of the male are shorter and more robust than the female’s. Gemsbok calves lack any black body markings.
South-west Africa, occurring in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Leaves, roots and tubers, wood, bark, or stems, fruit.
Gemsboks generally occur in semi-arid to arid grasslands and bushlands, sandy and stony plains, dunes and alkaline flats; they also inhabit light woodland.
Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (September, 2009)
During this period, the male rounds up herds of females and young gemsbok into his territory to gain sole mating rights with receptive females. Single calves are born to females older than two years, after a pregnancy of around 264 days.
Size Length: 198 – 216 cm , Male weight: 240 kg, Female weight: 210 kg
Update : 06 April 2017
