It is endemic to the dry and barren regions of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and (parts of) Zimbabwe, mainly inhabiting the Kalahari and Namib Deserts, areas in which it is supremely adapted for survival.

[5] Although some superficial similarities in appearance (especially in the facial pattern) are noticed, the chamois and the oryx are not closely related.

[6] Gemsbok are light taupe to tan in color, with lighter patches toward the bottom rear of the rump.

[1]A sizeable introduced population of several thousand is also present in the Chihuahuan Desert where they are problematic for the local ecosystem.

The gemsbok has no specified breeding season, but the young in a given herd tend to be of a similar age due to reproductive synchrony between females.

[14] Gradually expanding their range from Tularosa Basin towards the west and northwest, an unknown number of animals are now also established in the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, the Jornada Biosphere Reserve as well as the endorheic drainage basins east of Caballo Mountains, especially where these are traversed by the Jornada del Muerto trail north of Upham.

Except for calves, the oryx is too large to be preyed on by the coyote (Canis latrans) and most other major American desert carnivores, since the jaguar (Panthera onca) is mostly extirpated from the state, and the reintroduced Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is too low in population numbers (and all known Mexican wolf populations are over 100 miles away).

[18] This fact, along with their larger size and potentially dangerous horns, may cause them to outcompete with and/or put pressure on not only local livestock operations, but native desert herbivores, such as the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) and the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

In addition, gemsbok may spread disease to fellow bovids like the desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni).

[17] The gemsbok is depicted on the coat of arms of Namibia,[19] where the current population of the species is estimated at 373,000 individuals.