A group of Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana, USA Jun 11, 2024

Horns up, heads high! Featured here is a group of gemsboks, a large antelope, reigning over the sprawling savannahs in southwestern Africa. Indigenous to the arid territories of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and parts of Zimbabwe, they thrive mainly within the Kalahari and Namib Deserts. They can survive in extremely dry conditions and can go without water for weeks, getting moisture from the food they eat. Moreover, gemsboks are adept runners, achieving speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. Their distinguishing trait is their notably elongated, straight horns. Although both genders possess these formidable defences, the females" horns tend to be slightly longer and sleeker while the males" horns are thicker with broader bases. So, if you ever find yourself in the sandy plains of the Kalahari, keep an eye out for these desert gems.

© Karine Aigner/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Jun 11, 2025Greater flamingos

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 28, 2025Sea otter
Feb 3, 2026Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, California, United States
Jun 7, 2024Family of humpback whales, Dutch Harbour, Alaska
Aug 20, 2023Start Point Lighthouse, South Devon, England
Mar 8, 2026The Brocken, Harz National Park, Germany
Jan 11, 2024Eurasian lynx
Dec 16, 2023Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Jul 25, 2024Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Apr 9, 2025Naxos, Cyclades, Greece
Jan 26, 2024Northern hawk-owl
Jul 6, 2025Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, United States
Oct 31, 2023Pumpkins and squashes
Jan 23, 2026Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
Aug 6, 2024Molokini crater, Maui, Hawaii, USA
Oct 5, 2024Tsavo East National Park, Kenya
Sep 20, 2025Swing carousel at Oktoberfest, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Jan 13, 2026Vale of Clwyd, Wales
Nov 9, 2025Lagoon Nebula, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope
Sep 25, 2025Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
Sep 14, 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington, United States
Sep 6, 2023Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Mar 3, 2024Leopard in a tree, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Sep 20, 2023Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
Jan 25, 2026Burns National Heritage Park, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland
Jul 24, 2025Family of ashy woodswallows
Nov 17, 2023Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin, USA
Feb 23, 2026Great white egret, Upper Bavaria, Germany