Wildlife in Serengeti-ParkGemsbok | Oryx gazella
The Gemsbok, also called South African Oryx or Ibex, is the heraldic animal of Namibia. Maybe you wonder why this particular animal was chosen? There are many reasons for this choice: The South African oryx is optimally adapted to the adverse conditions of the desert and is therefore seen as a symbol of tenacity and frugality. Gemsbok can withstand temperatures in excess of 45 degrees Celsius without any problems and will spend a long time with very little water.
In addition, they are extremely elegant in appearance. If you look closely at the straight and extremely sharp horns, you can easily imagine that they are effective weapons against lions and other attackers. With the special coat drawing and the powerful physique, they appear slender and powerful at the same time. Especially the pattern on the head is often admired, in animals this is called a face mask. The hooves of this antelope species are particularly adapted: the oryx have very broad hooves, which is why these animals can move well in sandy steppes and deserts. Since the living environment of these animals is barren, they form only small herds of 6 to 40 animals and tirelessly wander through the wide dry landscape. They usually eat at night or early in the morning. At this time, the plants and fruits contain up to 42 percent water from the humidity. By day, the water content of the same plants often does not even reach one percent. All of these qualities and behaviors have led to the oryx being chosen as a heraldic animal.
