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THE
WILD BEAUTY OF NAMIBIA
Namibia is a
country of rugged scenery that at one time was home only to
nomadic San Bushmen. Time and nature have created extreme
and diverse landscapes of stark beauty in this part of southwest
Africa. Inland from the desolate Atlantic coast are sights
that include the incredible dunes of the Namib Desert and the vast
salt pan and surrounding bush of the wildlife-rich Etosha National
Park.
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spectacular dunes of the Namib Desert
The
vast Namib Desert in western Namibia is regarded as
one of the oldest and driest deserts on Earth.
It includes a sand sea reputed to contain the most
picturesque dunes in the world. The highest
dunes are set around ephemeral clay pans at
Sossusvlei. |
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The
dried remains of trees in the now parched landscape of
Dead Vlei, one of the clay pans that lie among the
high dunes. |
Gemsbok
somehow survive the hostile environment
among the orange dunes of the Namib
Desert. |
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Over
time, the Namib dunes have been sculpted by the wind
into bizarre and complex shapes. This apparently
barren and arid landscape is home to a complex
ecosystem supported by precious moisture gleaned from
fogs that roll in from the Atlantic. |
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Wildlife
of Etosha
Etosha
National Park in Namibia is one of the most important
game reserves in Africa. An expansive pan - the
'place of dry water' - is surrounded by grassland and
woodland habitats that are home to abundant wildlife.
For
more photos from Etosha...
ETOSHA
SAFARI |
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| Namibian
cheetahs under protection at the Otjitotongwe
Cheetah Park. |
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Cheetahs
in danger
As in most
parts of Africa, wildlife in Namibia is under severe
pressure from the human population. Because
cheetahs are sometimes shot by ranchers, a number of
projects aim to relocate threatened cats or house them
in reserves. |
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The
Cape Cross seals
Tens of
thousands of Cape fur seals live in noisy, squabbling
crowds along the rocky shore of Cape Cross. The
seals take advantage of rich concentrations of fish in
the cold Benguela current that sweeps this stretch of
the Atlantic Ocean. |
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The plight
of the San Bushmen
The San
Bushmen are believed to have been the first human
inhabitants of the Kalahari desert area of southern
Africa. Traditionally, the Bushmen were nomadic
hunters and food-gatherers who traveled in groups of several
families following the water and game.
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| San
rock art like this at Twyfelfontein dates back
thousands of years. |
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The
Bushmen were progressively displaced by other Africans and
then by white settlers. They have now lost most of
their traditional rights to land and resources. Many
are impoverished, live in settlements and are reduced to
menial labor. Local and international pressure groups
are pressing for ancestral land and the right of
self-determination to be returned to them. |
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