Wild horses of the Namib: Enough pasture, but too little water

The Wild Horses of the Namib west of Aus in south-west Namibia are currently doing very well. "All the horses are in good condition", Helen from the Namibia Wild Horses Foundation (NWHF) told Namibian.org. "The foals are also thriving. This is thanks to the rains last year."

The Wild Horses live in the area around the Garub waterhole about 20 kilometres west of Aus. The winter rain season there was exceptionally good (see report by Namibian.org).

According to Helen, there is so much grass around Garub that it could last for up to a year. In addition, many places have been sighted where the horses have not even started to graze.

Too little water for all wild animals

However, a new borehole urgently needs to be drilled to replace the existing 'Garub 2' borehole. Although this was cleaned last year, it is already decades old and cannot be maintained in the long term (see report by Namibian.org).

'Garub 2' feeds the water point for the horses, which is located at the lookout point for visitors. The borehole already does not provide enough water for all the wildlife that visit the waterhole. Officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) have to refill the tank by transporting water day after day.

The NWHF, with the support of the Ministry, is therefore calling on all friends of the Wild Horses to make donations. The bank account and payment options can be found at the bottom of the NWHF website.

Where the Wild Horses come from and how they live is briefly explained in a video clip by the tourism company Gondwana Collection Namibia. A detailed report on the plight of the horses during the 2019 / 2020 drought and the absence of tourists during the corona crisis can be watched on the website of the US television channel CNN.

Sven-Eric Stender