Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)

The Gemsbok (Oryx Gazella) is a big sized antelope that inhabits arid areas in South Africa. Has a fur gray with white stains on the legs and belly, and has a black stripe that crosses its body, going from the front paws, crossing the belly, up to the back paws.

It is the biggest Oryx species, with 1,2 m high (up to the shoulders), from 190 cm to 240 cm length and from 45 cm to 90 cm of tail. The males weigh between 220 kg and 300 kg and the female from 110 kg to 220 kg.

It is a desirable trophy due to its beautiful fur and their long and straight horns that differ from the remaining antelopes and can reach 110 cm, though it has 85 cm in average.

It is very difficult to distinguish male from female in this species, the only manner is evaluating the horns, where the male has thicker bases and total length of the shorter horns. The females have thinner and long horns and are slightly curved backwards.

They live in groups of 10 to 50 animals, always with a dominant male. As they are animals from desert, they don’t need to drink much water for their physiological needs.