Wild Horses
The wild horses of the Namib Desert are steeped in mystery as to how they came to roam the hostile desert plains. One theory states that they are the descendants of South African Army and German Schutztruppe horses left behind during the First World War, others believe that they stem from the horse stud kept at Duwisib Castle owned by Baron Hans-Heinrich von Wolf. After his death, the horses were abandoned to their fate in the harsh desert. The third theory offers a wilder explanation; a ship thought to carry Thoroughbreds ran aground off the Atlantic coastline. The ones that survived the treacherous swim through the frigid waters could have survived by reaching the Garub Pan, located 20km west of Aus. Whatever their story may be, the wild horses have established themselves and claimed a rightful place in the Namib Naukluft Park. Surviving extreme weather and sparse grazing, the horses have adapted admirably to their environment. A permanent watering trough was erected for the horses at Garub in order to ease their survival during extreme periods of drought. This also provides visitors with a great opportunity to view these incredible animals.
