The Dunes of Sossusvlei

THE NAMIB DESERT The Namib is virtually uninhabited except for small settlements of Ovahimba and Obatjimba Herero in the north and the Topnaar Nama in the middle. Due to its age, it is home to more species than any other desert. Most of the life in the Namib consists of arthropods and other small animals that can survive with little water. Bigger animals do occur in the north.

The cold ocean is rich in fish life and supports large colonies of fur seals and seabirds.

Further, into the interior, we find the largest national park in Africa — the Namib-Naukluft National Park, which is home to African elephants, mountain zebras, desert lions and other large animals. Although there are large areas without any vegetation, lichen and succulents occur near the coast, while grasses and small, short-lived shrubs flourish along the escarpment.

Curious Meerkat

MEERKAT — suricata suricatta majoriae

This subspecies has a sturdy body compared to other types of meerkat. Majoriae is found in western Namibia, where the landscape ranges from high dunes to rocky plains. The meerkat is a small carnivore belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It weighs on average 600—730g and has a long, slender body and limbs, a body length of 25—35cm and a tail length of 17—25cm. The tail is not bushy, like that of other mongoose species, but quite long and thin, and ends in a black tip.

The meerkat is mainly an insect eater that hunts for a variety of insects, scorpions, small birds and some small mammals, as well as eating bird and reptile eggs. They are immune to the poison of scorpions but have little resistance to snake venom. Meerkats forage in gangs, with one individual standing guard, looking out for predators, while the others are looking for food. The guards take ‘shifts' of approximately one hour each, making a peeping sound all the while — called the Watchman's Song — to assure the others that someone is on the lookout. Pups do not start foraging for food on their own before they are about a month old, and then they are accompanied by an older member of the group who acts as a tutor.

A famous folk-tale in Zimbabwe and Zambia describes the meerkat as a ‘sun angel'. The ‘sun angel' is said to have been sent by the gods to protect villages, stray cattle and lone tribesmen from the ‘moon devil'.

Captured by: DANIE FERREIRA www.danieferreira.com

Giraffe Ritual Dance

NAMIBIAN GIRAFFE Kameelperd — giraffe camelopardalis angolensis

The name giraffe originated from the Arabic word, zarafah. Up to nine subspecies of giraffe are recognised in Africa. Here, they are found in northern Namibia, the southwestern parts of Zambia, Botswana and western Zimbabwe. A genetic study (2009) on this subspecies suggests the populations of northern Namibia and Etosha form a separate subspecies. This particular giraffe has large brown blotches with serrated edges or angular extensions. The pattern of blotches can also be seen on the legs but is absent on the upper side of the face. The blotches on the neck and belly tend to be smaller, and the subspecies also has a white patch on the ears.

The Namib giraffes can be found in desert environments. They prefer trees from the genus Acacia, the Kanniedood and Vaalboom, which are important sources of calcium and protein to maintain the pace of growth of the giraffe. They also feed on grass, seed pods and fruit.