A fascinating way to survive
The world's largest land mammal is also known to be water dependent. Elephants in the African savannah drink water almost every day and like to take a mud bath to stay cool. Yet, in the vast Namib Desert, these magnificent pachyderms survive despite low rainfall and intense heat. These herds, aptly named desert elephants, travel long distances in very arid environments with only seasonal rivers and sparse vegetation for sustenance. Elephants feed on grass, which accounts for 80% of their daily diet, twigs, seeds, leaves, bark, roots, etc., consuming 150-250 kg of vegetation per day! It sleeps rather little (not more than four or five hours). It spends most of its time eating and travels long distances in order to diversify its diet as much as possible.for many years, ecologists thought that desert elephants were a separate species from Loxodonta africana, like the forest elephant found in the Congo that lives in dense, rainforests. But the distinctive characteristics and unique social structure of desert elephants are merely adaptations to the extreme temperatures and rocky plains of the Kunene region of northwestern Namibia.
Elephants adapted to the desert have large feet
There are no genetic or physiological differences between the elephants that live in the Namibian wilderness and the African savanna elephant. However, they have had to adapt to the extreme environment of the Namib Desert. Scientists believe that their long legs and smaller body mass are the result of a diet low in grasses and scattered shrubs. Desert-adapted elephants also appear to have larger feet than those in more temperate regions of Africa due to their elongated feet. The large footprint prevents the elephant from sinking into the hot sand as it crosses the iconic orange dunes of the Namib. Like their black rhino counterparts also found in the Kunene region, desert elephants walk hundreds of miles in search of food and water.
adapting to water scarcity
Studies have shown that desert elephants in Namibia have a remarkably limited water supply. Female elephants and adult infants need water every three days; males can go up to five days without drinking a drop! Researchers describe desert elephants as opportunistic drinkers. They have also observed that they use their trunks and legs to dig wells in dry riverbeds - even when they have access to surface water or artificial water pools. This memory of water sources, even if underground, thus allows for the survival of their species in this inhospitable environment. This unique method also indicates their need to purify water before they can drink.
Small herds of elephants travel farther
Traveling constantly in search of food and water, desert elephants move at night to avoid sunburn, they have also adjusted their feeding habits to cope with this lack of resources. As soon as they discover vegetation and water, they will feed continuously for a few days before resuming their trek through the rugged Kunene region, which covers more than 115,000 km2. Although elephant families are usually led by a matriarch and other female elephants, those living in the northwest have a more flexible social structure. Scientists continue to study the fact that desert elephant family units are generally smaller than other continental populations. With fewer elephants per family, the herd is easier to feed and moves more quickly, a much-needed survival tactic when food and water are located within days of walking in the harsh Namib Desert.
An endangered species
Estimated to be between 2,500 and 3,000 in the 18th century, the elephant population in the Namib region would number less than 200 today. Elephant herds have moved from the wetter areas of northern Namibia to the drier northwestern regions to take advantage of the abundance of food during the winter. Unfortunately, much of this elephant population perished in the second half of the 19th century due to increased hunting and poaching, which saw it decline to 600-800 elephants and reach about 360 elephants during the war of independence in the 1980s. The increase in human population and settlements has interrupted the elephants' traditional migration routes, triggering human-wildlife conflict and thus further threatening the growth of the species. The approximately 150 desert-dwelling pachyderms are now found in Kunene along the main riverbeds of the Ugab, Huab, Hoarusib, Hoanib and Uniab rivers.
The epic of Vorrtrekker
In the late 1990s, an intrepid elephant named Voortrekker, which means "first walker," was the first to venture south of the northern part of the country, where most elephants were found. A few months later, he returned to the area leading a group of elephants, known as Mama Afrika, and followed the Ugab River, taking advantage of some pockets of water and seasonal food. After his exploration, other elephant herds followed Voortrekker, and today there are a total of five matriarchal herds residing in the Ugab and Huab River areas. Killed by a hunter in 2019, his death caused an outcry throughout the country. After declaring that the animal was "causing problems" to community properties in the Omatjete area, the government allowed a hunter, after paying US$8,500, to shoot the then 50-year-old Voortrekker.
