#namibia is amazing

[england-would-fall]

hello my darlings

i was on a 3+ week roadtrip and immediately began a fast and furious relocation back to the U.S. (family back home needs us). please keep tagging me in things! i’ll get back on track at some point, promise!

Enjoy this photo of seals I saw chillin’ on the Namibian Skeleton Coast

[elinerlina2]

Namibian dreams

[dopescissorscashwagon]

Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia

📸 Richard Bernabe

[snazzymolasses]

na

June 21, 2024 - Namibia's high court has declared the "sodomy law" that criminalised gay sex unconstitutional!

Namibia inherited the apartheid-era law banning “sodomy” and “unnatural offences” when it gained independence from South Africa in 1990. [link]

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Lachenalia viridiflora

Most of the many bulbs in the genus Lachenalia come from the winter-rainfall area in western South Africa and adjacent southwestern Namibia, and the majority of these bloom during the winter. At the Ruth Bancroft Garden, the pinkish-red flowering Lachenalia punctata is always the first to bloom, with L. viridiflora following just after the winter solstice. The amazing turquoise color of the flowers is a crowd-pleaser! Lachenalia was formerly placed in the family Hyacinthaceae, but it is now put in the subfamily Scilloideae within the Asparagus Family.

-Brian

[mysticalblizzardcolor]

Amazing Fluorite & Quartz From Erongo Region, Namibia - 4.2cm.

[timotheecontent]

lorenzhideyoshi: #duneparttwo Simply a crazy unforgettable ride over 8 months with an amazing #stunt team across Budapest, Jordan, the UAE and Namibia

[theemporium]

i wanna second that anon about your amazing fics! but it’s not just that, all your posts make my day - i literally check on your blog like it’s the daily newspaper 😂 tumblr might be a wild place but i’m so grateful that it’s brought this wee community together (look you even have me saying wee and i’m literally from namibia 😭). so so grateful for you cece! 💜

YOUS ARE ALL TRYING TO MAKE ME CRY ON A MONDAY🥹🫶🏽🫶🏽

I’m grateful for this wee corner of the internet too🥲we all share one insane brain cell but I do love her!!

[ghminerals]

Beryl var. Aquamarine. Amazing blue. 63 grams. Flat top termination with a terminated side car. Erongo Mts., Namibia. C. Cecil collection https://etsy.me/3omZosY

[agentfascinateur]

Another amazing contribution by Africa, offering the ICJ the example of German genocide in Namibia:

Minister Yvonne Dasaub & Dr Phoebe Okawa 👏🏼👏🏼💜💜

[mikucountries]

Updated list of Mikus! Thank you again to all of the amazing artists around the world.

Europe

Turkey

Netherlands

Romani

Hungary

Iceland

Moldova

Germany

Finland

Greece

France

Denmark

Poland

Romania

Ukraine

Hungary

Lithuania

Ireland

Wales

Belarus

Scotland

Slovakia

Italy

United Kingdom

Norway

Portugal

Kosovo

Latvia

Russia

Estonia

Slovenia

Serbia

Spain

Austria

San Marino

Mari

Czechia

Bosnia

Catalán

Croatia

Switzerland

Vatican City

Montenegro

Malta

Sweden

Belgium

Cyprus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Albania

Asia

Jordan

Syria

Armenia

Ingush

China

Palestine

Taiwan

Tajikistan

India

Bhutan

Malaysia

Philippines

Pakistan

Thailand

Burma

Indonesia

Bangladesh

Vietnam

Nepal

Korea

Kazakhstan

Turkmenistan

Afghanistan

Kurdistan

Uzbekistan

Iran

Iraq

Laos

Georgia

North Korea

South Korea

Cambodia

Azerbaijan

Kerala

Mongolia

Sri Lanka

Kyrgyzstan

Japan

Yemen

Tibet

Indonesia

UAE

Bahrain

Singapore

Brunei

Maldives

Oceania/Pacific Islands

Samoa

Fiji

Tuvalu

Maori

Aboriginal Australian

Papua New Guinea

New Zealand

Tonga

Africa

South Sudan

Sudan

Togo

Nigeria

South Africa

Algeria

Djibouti

Egypt

Ethiopia

Namibia

Ghana

Cameroon

Tunisia

Kenya

Morocco

Mozambique

Angola

Madagascar

Congo

Kamba

Ivory Coast

Mauritius

Benin

Tanzania

The Gambia

Burkina Faso

Senegal

Gabon

Botswana

Mauritania

Zimbabwe

Uganda

Oromo

Habesha

Equatorial Guinea

Sierra Leone

Seychelles

Chad

Libya

North America

Cherokee

Guatemala

Panama

El Salvador

Mexico

Cuba

Honduras

Chumash

Chicana

Trinidad and Tobago

Anishinaabe

Canada

Muskogee

Belize

African American

Barbados

Yupik

Bahamas

Mi’kmaw

St. Kitts and Nevis

Jamaica

Costa Rica

Métis

Navajo

Potowatomi

Dominica

Apache

Nicaragua

St. Lucia

Lakota

Inuk

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Antigua and Barbuda

Creole

Haiti

Dominican Republic

South America

Ecuador

Peru

Argentina

Chile

Venezuela

Brazil

Colombia

Suriname

Guyana

Bolivia

Mapuche

Paraguay

Uruguay

Grenada

Antarctica

[sumiandwaynetozimzamza]

5/30/2024 - Crossing into Zambia was a breeze thanks to our amazing Zim host and her fabulous taxi driver! We got showered (literally!) seeing Victoria Falls from the Zambia side. Although you only see 25% of the falls on this side, you get 125% more wet! Totally worth it though. Our Zam host suggested a stroll through resort grounds near the falls, where we saw zebras and other animals roaming freely. Alongside this menagerie, there are 5 presidents (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola) attending a summit at the resort. We saw several zebra but no heads of state! Now we're poolside at our hostel drying out our shoes in the afternoon sun. Early night for us as we catch a 8:30am flight to Lusaka tomorrow to meet up with our friends Martin and Lia!

[bobbinacrossafricatake2]

Namibia - On the Move

May 19, 2024

Seb got up at 5:00 AM to visit Bruce again at the solar observatory. He was perched on a bench (asleep?) but seemingly happy to have company. His most powerful telescope was misbehaving, so we first looked through the other two. He tried to convince Sarah that she could simply look at his insta site, but it’s not the same, so he kept at it until the good one found Saturn and focused. Pretty dang cool to see the ring(s), and also a glimpse of an unfocused red Mars. Bruce muttered on about galaxies and nebulas and a bunch of stuff that Sarah frankly didn’t understand,but without the moon, she enjoyed the spectacular sky, complete with two shooting stars, the Milky Way, Sagittarius and a few other things she could marginally appreciate! Back at the room, Jill’s alarm had just gone off, so Sarah convinced her to turn off all the lights and look at the sky out by the pool. The Milky Way visible to the naked eye.

We finished packing and headed to breakfast in the lounge. Yum - a seemingly wholesome bowl, kombucha concoction (for gut health, as if that’s a priority here), cappuccino, coffee, and other treats. As usual, different light on the horizon for a new and wonderful look at the same view. We saw Ty and Idea one last time, said farewell to our hosts and jumped into a vehicle with Lance and Rebecca. The airports in Namibia are basically a few tents for shelter while waiting, a loo, and an area to keep fuel for the planes - not fancy! Our ginormous plane (ha - seats twelve, plus pilot and co-pilot, which is not part of the team) was there; we waited for a few other passengers and headed northwest. The views were amazing. First, the red dunes as far as one could see. Then a river bed that delineated where the dunes changed from red sand to white (well, tan). The textures and subtle color changes were only outdone by the change from dunes to flat(ish) sand to rough, sandy areas to mountains that were almost black. Our first pilot had made a comment that Namibia has many “table mountains” and true to her word, we passed over an area that was all about flat-topped mountains.

Our first flight had a stopover in Swalopmund where we swapped out a few passengers and refueled, then onto Doro Nawas. It was totally fun, when we landed to see our first Namibia pilot who remembered our names. (Ah, it’s the little things that make an impression). Most passengers boarded vehicles, but we had our third flight of the day to the camp’s airstrip. This flight was on a miniature (4-6 seater) Cessna. Max, our guide for the three days we’re at the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, met us as we got off the flight, collected our bags, and drove us the 25 min or so to our new home. The terrain here is still desert, but oh so different from Soussusvlei. It’s scruffier, rougher, with small, rocky hills dotting the landscape.

We arrived at camp to the staff singing a welcome song. They greeted us with the traditional cold, wet towels and fresh drink (lemonade in this case). We went in, met a bunch of staff, and got the overview of the lodge. It’s seriously hot here, reportedly 97 degrees today. But in WDC, it would be unbearable, here it’s simply hot. It’s a tented camp, not even close to the opulence of the &Beyond lodge, but really charming. We are admittedly a bit concerned that there’s no A/C - will see how that works out. We’re told that the winds usually come from the west (Atlantic) but for the last five days and at least the next few, they’re from the east, bringing hot air. Oh well, Mother Nature (and maybe climate change?) at work. We opted for lunch before going to our room. Yummy.

Our room/tent here is the closest one on one side of the lodge. It’s super nice, albeit more simple than the last place. But it’s well designed, with a nice view toward the watering hole for local creatures, good storage for two, plugs and WiFi (again only in the room, not in the common areas), a patio with lounge chairs and table, and a good bathroom with double sinks. Can’t really ask for more! We settled in quickly and then each took naps, it having been a short night. Tea at 4:30 PM (or “sweet and savory” as they dubbed it) was nice with more lemonade and we met our vehicle companions for the next few days, Robert and Jo. They’re super nice, which bodes well for a good time with Max. Off we went for our first game ride. Driving out of camp each of us admitted later that we had the lowest expectations ever for a game drive. We’re in the desert, with almost nothing green, loads of sand and rock, and not a creature in sight (except the flies and moths at lunch). Hurrah for being wrong!! Our first sighting was a baby giraffe. Sooooooooooo adorable. He was alone, very much blended into the background with very pale markings, and well, we all swooned. On we went and saw oryxes and springboks (hanging together), a few interesting birds, another large giraffe, and some baboons. The highlight was when we found Charlie leading Obi back toward camp. There are four lions on this private concession,3 sisters (Alpha, Beta and Charlie) and Obi, a male who was causing trouble in another area and re-located before locals took matters into their own hands, which would not be a good outcome for Obi. Now, he now has the choice of three girls. Not bad. Charlie is his favorite - for now. Charlie in the lead, we tracked them for a while. Stunning creatures, both; they’re hungry and on the hunt (watch out baby giraffe!). Such majestic presence. Max was great tracking, explaining, finding us good photo and viewing opportunities, and generally making sure our experience was fab. Indeed it was.

Back at camp, we were greated with our drink of choice (called in by Max as we approached camp) and enjoyed it at the firepit. There are only eight guests in camp today, and the staff moved the tables to the lounge area patio. It had cooled just enough to make dining al fresco very comfortable. Dinner, of course, was delicious: broccoli tempura as appetizer and a pork dish for the main course. The staff is quite attentive to Jill’s dairy limitation, and offered alternatives as needed. Mango sorbet was a perfect replacement on this warm night.

[tylerwitkin]

A Ferrari Safari Through Namibia

Walking on the moon (on Earth), risking life along the way.

When presented with the idea of a roadtrip adventure across Namibia, one might think Namiba-what?

Well, let me tell you, Namibia and it’s insanely varied and unique African terrain harbors some of the most awe-inspiring sights I’ve ever seen. From a red moon so full and low to the earth it was almost incomprehensible, to Fish River Canyon and its cratered ravine to the skeleton coast and it’s eerie barrenness, Namibia transports you as far away from the every day as you could travel. Himba tribal women covered in red soil, Sossusvlei’s “Big Daddy” dune reaching high into the clear blue sky … Namibia amazed me at every turn.

[xtruss]

A Spotless Giraffe, Pictured in Namibia 🇳🇦, was seen and photographed for the first time in the wild just weeks after another animal with this type of coloring was born at a U.S. 🇺🇸 Zoo. Photograph By Eckart Demasius and Giraffe Conservation Foundation

Another Rare Spotless Giraffe Found—the First Ever Seen in the Wild

The sighting occurred just weeks after the unusual condition was seen in a newborn giraffe at a Tennessee zoo. Is it more common than scientists thought?

— By Dina Fine Maron | September 12, 2023

Just weeks after a giraffe at a U.S. Zoo was born missing its characteristic spots, another spotless giraffe calf has now been seen and photographed in the wild for the first time.

The unprecedented sighting occurred at Mount Etjo Safari Lodge, a private game reserve in central Namibia. Tour guide Eckart Demasius saw and photographed the solid-brown calf during a game drive on the roughly 90,000-acre reserve, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Demasius, who was not immediately available for comment, shared his photos with the giraffe nonprofit.

Sara Ferguson, a wildlife veterinarian and conservation health coordinator at the foundation, says the two recent spotless sightings are pure coincidence and that there’s no data to suggest this coloring is occurring more frequently than it had in the past.

This finding is just another example of “the weird way the world works” she says, adding that she’s “so amazed and pleased there is so much more to learn and discover about giraffe.”

Genetic Anomalies

The spotless reticulated giraffe born at Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, earlier this summer was recently named Kipekee, which means “Unique” in Swahili. The recent wild sighting occurred in another giraffe subspecies found in southern Africa, the Angolan giraffe.

Before these recent births, a giraffe with all-brown coloring was last seen at a Tokyo Zoo in 1972.

The spotless giraffe and its mother were photographed on a reserve with around 800 giraffes in central Namibia 🇳🇦. Photograph By Eckart Demasius and Giraffe Conservation Foundation

Scientists, including Ferguson, believe the solid coloring is likely due to one or more genetic mutations that haven’t yet been identified.

Some aspects of giraffe spots are passed down from mother to calf, according to a 2018 study in the Journal Peer J, and larger, rounder spots appear to be linked to higher survival rates for younger giraffes, but the reasons for that remain unclear.

Derek Lee, a Biology Professor at Penn State University and a co-author on the PeerJ Study, says that technically these two recent examples are not spotless animals, but instead —"one-spot-all-over giraffes."

It’s impossible to say what this genetic anomaly means for the animal’s health, he says, but there’s no evidence the color difference puts the animal at a disadvantage.

“We have a sample size here of one, so time will tell what happens.”

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Antimima sp.

Antimima is a genus in the Aizoaceae, or Ice Plant Family, generally mat-forming or clumping, and often with flowers in the pink/magenta/purple range. They mostly come from the winter-rainfall area in western South Africa and the adjacent southwestern corner of Namibia. Some classifiers maintain that they should all be included in the large genus Ruschia, to which they are clearly closely related. This one was received without a name, but it comes from near Vanrhynsdorp, South Africa. Like many of its relatives, it puts on an amazing floral display when it comes into bloom, covering itself in flowers.

-Brian