South African oryx , Gemsbuck, South african oryx
The gemsbok (Oryx gazella) is a large antelope native to the arid regions of Southern Africa. This rare animal is depicted on the coat of arms of Namibia, where the current population of the species is estimated at 373,000 individuals. In the town of Oranjemund, gemsbok wander freely around the streets, taking advantage of the vegetation in the town, such as grass in the parks and the many trees.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Desert DwellersBe
Best HornsThe gemsbok is light brownish-grey to tan in color, with lighter patches toward the bottom rear of the rump. Its tail is long and black in color. A blackish stripe extends from the chin down the lower edge of the neck, through the juncture of the shoulder and leg along the lower flank of each side to the blackish section of the rear leg. The gemsbok has a muscular neck and shoulders, and its legs have white 'socks' with a black patch on the front of both front legs and both genders have long straight horns.
Gemsbok occur in the arid regions of Southern Africa, such as the Kalahari Desert. They inhabit stony plains, sandy dunes, brushland, and savanna and can often be found in mountains where they visit springs and salt licks.
Gemsbok are gregarious and live in herds of about 10-40 animals. These herds consist of a dominant male, a few non-dominant males, and females. Gemsbok are generally grazers but change to browsing during the dry season or when the grass is sparse and may dig up to a meter deep to find roots and tubers. They usually feed early in the morning and late afternoon to avoid midday heat and may sometimes be active on moonlit nights. These are mainly desert-dwelling antelopes and they do not depend on drinking water to supply their physiological needs. Gemsbok are excellent runners and when threatened they can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph).
Gemsbok are herbivores (graminivores, folivores). They consume grasses, thorny shrubs, roots, tubers, and supplement their water intake by eating wild tsama melons and cucumbers.
Gemsbok are polygynous, with one resident male mating with the receptive females in the herd. The male is known to secure exclusive mating access to the females by attempting to herd mixed or nursery herds onto his territory. Gemsbok do not have a specified breeding season and may breed year-round. Before giving birth pregnant females leave the herd. The gestation period lasts 270 days and mothers give birth to 1-2 offspring. The calf remains hidden 6 weeks after birth, after which the mother and calf rejoin the herd. The calf is weaned at 3.5 months and becomes independent at 4.5 months of age. Young gemsbok reach reproductive maturity when they are 1.5-2 years old.
There are no major threats facing gemsbok at present. However, these antelopes are widely hunted for their spectacular horns and meat.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total gemsbok population size is around 373,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...