Gemsbok probably have more adaptations to dry conditions than any other antelope. They even recover the moisture from the breath they exhale in their sinuses. They will also fight for shade.
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tags: Kalahari Persistence Hunt, film making, marathon, kudu, Africa, BBC One, David Attenborough, streaming video
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With the weather predictions for this week here being mid to upper 90s, I will also fight for shade.
One of the odder linguistic confusions is the Afrikaans vs. German/Bavarian/Austrian use of "Gems." In Afrikaans it's of course the Oryx, but in German-speaking Europe "Gemse" or (Bavarian/Austrian) "Gams" is [let's see whether italics work] Rupicabra rupicabra. (No, not Chupicabra chupacapra!) There isn't much similarity between them either, really.
Weirdest situation I saw a "Gemse" at: going down the Jura mountains towards Yverdon, at a bend of the road in otherwise regular deciduous forest. I had previously only known them from the high Alps, so that was a shock!
OK, back to the woodwork and my glass of wine.
Oh and for those just tuning in, the "g" in "gemsbok" is neither soft nor hard. It is more like a "h" with a sore throat.