Gemsbok is the largest and best known of the four species of oryx, or straight horned antelope.  They are one of the most perfectly desert-adapted large mammals capable of surviving in waterless wasteland where many animals would perish.  They are second only to the addax in this regard.

Their metabolism is superbly adapted to conserve moisture.  When exposed to high temperatures, its body temperature rises and after 3 or 4 hours of exposure, it loses excess heat by radiation.  In addition, their kidneys are capable of handling very brackish water.  They also have mechanisms to ensure that the temperature of the blood circulating to the brain can stay below that of the body temperature.  When deprived of water, they don’t sweat thus saving them from dehydrating.  They lose no water because there is no evaporative cooling.  Its urine is highly concentrated and feces are almost dry, so that water loss is minimal.

They often graze at night when plants have higher moisture content.  They are usually active from dawn through shortly after nightfall. Gemsbok are highly nomadic in the desert, but where there are water holes or a good supply of water-bearing vegetation herds may remain year-round in smaller home ranges, within which bulls defend territories
Newly born gemsbok hide themselves after birth, sometimes with encouragement from the mother in the form of a threatening butt.  Here the calf lies curled up and waits for the mother to come back to nurse it.  The mother usually walks around the area in which the calf is concealed and calls it out.  The calf may then spend the night with the mother before being taken to its next hiding place – often as much as 3 km from the previous one.  Females with newborn calves are very wary and will not approach the hiding places if they are aware of the presence of observers.  After a period of about 6 weeks, the mother and the calf join the herd.  Nursing of calves within a herd appears to be synchronized as all the young suckle within a period of 5 to 10 minutes.

The horns of the young grow extremely fast (20-30mm during the concealment period), and therefore it is easy to understand the myth that a gemsbok is born with horns.
Females can mate again within a few weeks of calving.

The gemsbok’s striking facial patterns are the inspiration for many African tribal masks.

Gemsbok

Oryx gazella gazella