A gemsbok on the way to Andoni Plain, in the far north-east of Etosha.

Some say that the legend of the unicorn derives from the gemsbok. I had read that their horns are so uniform in shape that when seen straight-on, they appear to have only one horn.

I didn’t really believe it until I happened to see this gemsbok at just the right angle. This photo was taken at Okaukuejo waterhole.

A gemsbok on the pan.

Kudu

I have seen only few kudu, even though they are supposed to be very common.

It also doesn’t help that eland have similar vertical stripes. But this is definitely a kudu: he has the characteristic corkscrew horns, and the white V on the face. Females have no horns, and are much smaller.

Impala

Impala are such elegant animals. This is a black-faced impala. Some zoologists categorize them as a separate species from the more common impala; some believe they are a merely a variant.

Black-faced impala have a distinct black blaze on their noses, and are heavier, with longer ears and longer tails than the common impala.

There are only about 3,000 black-faced impala in the world, and nearly half are in Etosha National Park.

Males have lyre-shaped horns; females have none.

A male impala can hold up his tail to expose the underside, which is a mass of long white hairs. This causes the hairs to appear as a distinctive “flag”.

This is primarily a territorial display(complete with grunts), but is also used during the rut, when, as here, a male drives a female prior to mating.

(Thanks to Brent Huffman of the ultimate ungulate website for this information.)

Springbok

Springbok are the most common animal in Etosha. I saw them throughout the park, either single males, or large groups of dozens of animals.

They are similar to impala. But springbok are smaller, they have a dark stripe across their middle, both sexes have horns, and the horns are smaller and rounder in shape.

By the way, there are two springbok in this photograph.

This little springbok was lying on the road on the road to Okerfontein waterhole in the pleasant shade of a tree. I drove up slowly, driving as far on the wrong side of the road as possible to avoid the springbok. It sat there as I drove up, stopped and took this photo. It just sat there.

I began to wonder if it was injured, but it stood up as I drove off.

I saw springbok mock-fighting like this several times.They would come to a waterhole for a drink and then carry on like kids for 20 minutes. These two were at Okondeka waterhole, west of the Okaukuejo camp.

Red Hartebeest

Red Hartebeest are not the most beautiful antelope, except that their coats are glossy and red, and they all look as if they have sat in a bucket of cream paint.

Males and females have horns. They start growing from thick bases, and eventually bend backwards.

Both these photographs of red hartebeest were taken at the Rietfontein waterhole.

Blue Wildebeest

Wildebeest are seriously ugly. But they are also quite engaging. I often saw them with zebras, and I read that they follow the same migratory patterns. This wildebeest was near the Batia waterhole.

On my first morning at Etosha National Park I got up early to look at the waterhole at the camp. These blue wildebeest were among the animals that came for a drink.

This wildebeest had a good look at me, but seemed remarkably unconcerned to see me. I saw him on the way to the Andoni plains.

Steenbok

I’m cheating a bit here. I saw a couple of Steenbok within Etosha National Park, but not this one. This steenbok was about 10 minutes’ drive outside the park (hence the fence). Steenbok are distinguished from the other small antelope by their enormous ears.