Oryx
Oryx
The oryx, also known as a gemsbok, is a spectacular antelope that is highly adapted to life in the desert. This species is not often found on typical safari itineraries, but is a wonderful reward to those who diversify the habitats that they visit on their trip. There are four species of oryxes, three of which live in Africa and one from the Arabian Peninsula.
Oryx Videos
Best Places to See Oryx on Safari
Central Kalahari Game Reserve, especially during the summer season when many thousand will gather in the rich valley areas of the reserve, is a wonderful place to view oryx. They can also be seen from the nearby Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
Etosha is an excellent location for oryx, and they can often be seen at waterholes leading to interesting interaction with other species. Seeing the oryx walk single file on red sand dunes is a classic sighting and best done in the Namib desert of Namibia.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa and Botswana also have oryx viewing possibilities.
In Kenya, Samburu Game Reserve and Tsavo National Park are good places to see the East African oryx, although their range spans as far north as Ethiopia and south as Tanzania. The East African oryx is listed as an endangered species while the gemsbok of Southern Africa is not.