Ruppell’s Korhaan (Eupodotis rupellii)

Dear Readers, when we got back from Sossusvlei, Hano our birder guide announced that he was heading back into the dunes to look for Dune Lark – this is an endemic bird, found only in Namibia. The birders were off like a shot, but those of us who had had enough of sand dunes for one day hung about to see what we could see. 

Andrew, the other guide, showed us a Tenebrionid beetle – these are desert adapted beetles with long legs, and are probably most famous for standing at the edge of dunes with their bums in the air to catch the water droplets in the morning fog. No beetles were harmed in the making of this photograph! The little guy scuttled off after we’d had admired him.

Then we discovered that, as per usual, we were being watched by a lizard – this is, I think, a Cape Skink. It was great to see so many different lizards while we were in Namibia – they must be delighted to have so many flies and mosquitoes to eat!

But then, we noticed this chap heading towards us.

This is an Oryx, or Gemsbok – he wandered past us completely unconcerned. We kept our distance and stayed quiet so that he wouldn’t be disturbed. What a magnificent creature! Both male and female Oryx have horns, but those of the females are more slender. They are desert creatures, and get most of their moisture from plants.

Gemsbok are the quintessential Namibian mammal – they feature on the country’s coat of arms . Interestingly, they were imported to North America, where, in the absence of the lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas that usually eat them, they are threatening to become an invasive species. Although not dangerous, our guide reported that sometimes people attempt to feed them or give them water, and one irritable stab from those horns can be fatal. As with all animals, it pays to be respectful.

Oh, and the rest of the group did find a Dune Lark. I’m not sure if it compensated for missing this oryx encounter, though.

Dune Lark (Certhilauda_erythrochlamys) Photo By Yathin S Krishnappa – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59833418