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One of the oldest and largest deserts, the Namib stretches inland from the Atlantic Ocean, covering large swathes of Namibia and parts of Angola and South Africa. This arid hotspot surprisingly supports a diverse number of plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the world.
© Martin HARVEY / WWF
Life in the desert
Lying between a high inland plateau and the Atlantic Ocean, the Namib Desert extends along the coast of Namibia, merging with the Kaokoveld Desert into Angola in the north and south with the Karoo Desert in South Africa.
Throughout this vast and unforgiving landscape, a number of animals and plants have adapted to life here, including the mountain zebra (Equus zebra), gemsbok (Oryx Gazella), short-eared elephant shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus), Grant's golden mole (Eremitalpa granti), Karoo bustard (Eupodotis vigorsii) and Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi).
There is also an extraordinary diversity of succulent plants, as well as the shrub-like Welwitschia mirabilis, which has only 2 leaves and can live for over 1,000 years!
Although large parts of this desert region are protected, it still faces threats from unsustainable land practices, mining and illegal plant harvesting.
One unique way of protecting Namibia's biodiversity has been through the WWF-supported conservancy movement, which gives local communities responsibility and right of ownership over their natural resources and wildlife. Any profit generated by the conservancy's activities - guide services, eco-tourist facilities or controlled hunting - is invested back into the community.
Throughout this vast and unforgiving landscape, a number of animals and plants have adapted to life here, including the mountain zebra (Equus zebra), gemsbok (Oryx Gazella), short-eared elephant shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus), Grant's golden mole (Eremitalpa granti), Karoo bustard (Eupodotis vigorsii) and Peringuey's adder (Bitis peringueyi).
There is also an extraordinary diversity of succulent plants, as well as the shrub-like Welwitschia mirabilis, which has only 2 leaves and can live for over 1,000 years!
Local conservation
Although large parts of this desert region are protected, it still faces threats from unsustainable land practices, mining and illegal plant harvesting.One unique way of protecting Namibia's biodiversity has been through the WWF-supported conservancy movement, which gives local communities responsibility and right of ownership over their natural resources and wildlife. Any profit generated by the conservancy's activities - guide services, eco-tourist facilities or controlled hunting - is invested back into the community.
Namaqua dwarf adder camouflaged in the sand. Namib Desert, Namibia.
Desert elephants
Namibia is home to a unique population of elephants that have adapted to the arid, and sometimes inhospitable, climate.
Found mostly in the Damaraland region in the northwest part of the country, these "desert" elephants can go for days without drinking water, surviving on moisture obtained from the vegetation they eat.
Although not a different species or subspecies than other African elephants, they have larger feet, making it easier to walk through sand, and often live in smaller herds, which puts less pressure on their food and water sources.
Although not a different species or subspecies than other African elephants, they have larger feet, making it easier to walk through sand, and often live in smaller herds, which puts less pressure on their food and water sources.
© Frederick J. Weyerhaeuser / WWF
© Martin HARVEY / WWF
Where is the Namib region?
Facts & Figures
- The Namib-Karoo-Kaokoveld desert region covers an area of 806,000km2 (or 311,00 square miles).
- Some 3,500 species of plants are found here, about half of which are endemic.
- Namib means "vast" in the Nama language.
- Existing for at least 55 million years, the Namib is one of the oldest deserts in the world.
- Some of the world's tallest sand dunes (over 300m) are found in the Namib Desert.
- Temperatures can reach as high as 60°C during the day and below 0°C at night; some areas receive less than 10mm of rain each year.