Despite dense grass cover over large areas of the central Namib, the absence of large herbivores from the plains of the central Namib was striking. Teams of observers that recorded species from 28-31 October during the Central Namib Bioblitz observed no herds of oryx, zebra, springbok or other game. In past years, herds of these large mammals were common.
Our observers did see quite a number of vultures, both Lappet-faced and White-backed, spiralling upward on rising thermals, perching on trees or on the ground, picking over old carcasses.
In the past, there have been more severe droughts without severe reductions in game numbers. So, the question: what happened to the game in one of Namibia's oldest conservation areas?
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