Situated along the coast of Namibia, the Namib Desert is one of the world’s most spectacular and richest deserts in the world. Covered in red sand dunes, some of which reaches up to 300 metres, this area is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including the welwitschia plant, described by Charles Darwin as the "platypus of the plant kingdom."
This vast desert stretches from South Africa’s Nama Karoo into Angola’s Kaokaveld Desert.
WWF South Africa is working within the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot which extends from the southwest through the northwestern areas of South Africa and into southern Namibia. Home to over 6 000 plant species of which 40% are found nowhere in the world, this unique area truly is a biodiversity treasure.
Despite being the world’s most diverse arid environment, with more than 250 bird species, nearly 80 mammal species, 132 reptile and amphibian species and an unknown number of insects, this area is still under pressure. Mining, crop agriculture and overgrazing, among other threats are changing the landscape of this diverse area. The Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) was developed to address these issues and develop a conservation plan. WWF through the Leslie Hill Succulent Karoo Trust is working with SKEP to ensure the area is conserved and maintained for future generations.
WWF international has also identified this site as a global site of concern
WWF international has also identified this site as a global site of concern
