SUPER SURPRISE
THURSDAY# 18
Hello! Have we found a lovely member of the antelope family for you on this Super Surprise Thursday! This desert dweller is made to live in the hot climate! Do you have your sunglasses? Well let’s meet this animal!
MEET THE GEMSBOK
Range/Habitat: South Western Africa/desert, scrub
Diet: Herbivore: grass, shrubs, wild melon and cucumber
Length/Weight: 5 ¼-7 ¾ ft/ 220-460lb
Conservation Status: Common
Fun Facts:
- Gemsboks are also called the Southern Oryx.
- Gemsboks are adapted to live in dry climates.
- They live in herds of around 25 individuals that include females, several males and one dominate male.
- They eat mainly during dusk and dawn to avoid the hottest part of the day.
- Gemsboks have long beautiful ringed horns.
- Gemsboks also have beautiful black and white markings on their face.
- Herds gather in shaded areas during the heat of the day to stay cool.
- Gemsboks can go weeks without water.
We think Gemsboks are graceful and beautiful antelopes! Gemsboks have some fabulous adaptations for living in the desert! What would you bring with you to survive in the desert? Ellie is bringing water and mud for sunscreen and Edmond wants a giant bag of apples!
We found a fun coloring sheet you can print of the Gemsbok:
The Adventures of Ellie and Edmond 