Gondwana Canyon Park
Free-Roaming Horses in the Namib Desert
One of the special sights in southern Namibia is the wild, or "feral", horses of Garub. These horses are no longer used for riding or farming. They now live freely and have learned to survive in the dry, tough environment of the Namib Desert with little help from humans. It’s amazing how they have adapted to such a harsh place, where freedom comes with great challenges.
Why Are There Wild Horses in the Namib?
Wild horses aren’t common in southern Africa, since the dry climate isn’t good for horses. Horses only came to the region when Europeans arrived and brought them along. So, many people wonder how these horses ended up in the Namib Desert, where food is limited and temperatures are extreme.
Where Did They Come From?
There are several ideas about where these horses came from. It’s clear they are not true wild horses but came from domestic ones. Here are some possible explanations:
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Nearby Horse Farms: In the early 1900s, horses were bred at farms in Duwisib and Kubub, about 250 km away from Garub. It’s possible that during the 1915 war, some horses escaped or were set free. But this theory seems weak because there probably weren’t enough horses at those farms to start today’s large population.
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German Army Horses: Some think the horses may have belonged to German soldiers (the "Schutztruppe") and got lost or were released when they were retreating from South African forces in 1915.
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Shipwrecked Horses: Another story tells of a German baron who lost a ship filled with horses and other animals when it sank near the Orange River in the late 1800s.
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Horses from World War I: During World War I, about 10,000 South African soldiers and 6,000 horses were based at Garub. After a German air attack in 1915, around 1,700 horses ran off into the desert. Since the soldiers were busy with the war, they likely didn’t try to catch them.
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Recent Research: According to historians like Walter Rusch and Manfred Goldbeck, the horses may have originally come from both the South African army and horse farms like Kubub. Their research shows that the wild horses today have traits similar to the Kremplin-bred horses. It’s believed the two groups may have mixed in the Aus Mountains, where there were natural springs to drink from.
How the Horses Survived
Two main things helped the horses survive over the years:
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Protected Land: After diamonds were discovered in 1908, large areas of land, including Garub, were closed off to the public. This stopped hunters and horse traders from entering, giving the horses time to adjust and survive in peace for over 80 years.
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Water Source: A borehole (deep well) at Garub was built to provide water for the railway nearby. The horses began to gather around this waterhole, which became their main place to live.
The Horses Today
Today, visitors can view the horses safely from a shaded shelter near the waterhole. Since 1986, Garub has been part of the Namib-Naukluft Park, when 350 km² of the Diamond Area 2 was added to the park. To get there, you drive on the B4 road from Aus toward Lüderitz, then take a small gravel road about 20 km past Aus.
Currently, there are between 250 and 300 wild horses. Since 1993, Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism has been keeping records on their numbers and behavior. During dry years, like 1992 and 1998/99, many horses died due to lack of food and water. Some fundraising efforts were made to help, but they didn’t bring in much success.
How the Horses Live
These horses have changed their behavior to survive. For example, they limit how often they move between the feeding grounds and the waterhole to save energy. A breeding herd usually has one or two stallions and about 20 mares and foals. The lead male (alpha) decides when the group should move. However, the leader can change often because there are no big predators, so one male doesn’t stay in charge for long.
If a young foal is in danger, like from a jackal, the mother defends it while the stallion protects the group. Stallions do fight sometimes, but the fights are not serious and rarely cause injuries. They also don’t fight over females, because the mares choose their mates.
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