Planning a trip to Addo Elephant National Park? Download opspoor to see recent sightings in the park and log your own.
When to see Gemsbok in Addo Elephant National Park
Gemsbok are most active early morning (05:00 to 08:00) and late afternoon into dusk (17:00 to 20:00).
This is Gemsbok's general behavior. Once enough sightings are logged in Addo Elephant National Park, this page also shows when they're actually seen here.
About the Gemsbok
The gemsbok is a large, powerfully built desert antelope with a light tan-grey coat, a long black tail, bold black markings on the flanks and legs, and long, straight horns carried by both sexes. It lives in arid grassland, savanna and semi-desert, and gets much of its water from wild melons and dug-up roots rather than relying on drinking. Gemsbok are mostly crepuscular, feeding in the cool of the morning and late afternoon and sheltering in shade at midday, though they become more active at night in the hot season.
How to identify the Gemsbok
Large, pale tan-grey antelope with long, straight, spear-like horns on both sexes, a black stripe along the flank, black patches on the front legs above white "socks" and a long black tail. Sable and roan have backward-curved horns; female gemsbok horns are longer and thinner.
Other species to look for in Addo Elephant National Park
Other parks where you can see Gemsbok
Easiest first.
Heading to Addo Elephant National Park? opspoor shows where Gemsbok have been logged recently and lets you log your own, even with no signal.