UKTV - Deserts and Life (2013) Part 5 The Namib Desert

Deserts and Life

Deserts are the most haunting of all the Earth's landscapes. Sometimes we think of them as vast empty spaces that dwarf and test our human spirit, but that view couldn't be farther from the truth. In reality, deserts are full of colour and contrast - there are mountains and lagoons among the dunes and plains, and they often teem with life and are rich in resources. Their peoples have remarkable qualities of ingenuity and endurance, wisdom and humour; their festivals and gatherings full of colour and energy. This new and exclusive six-part series looks at how these desert realities are at odds with our perceptions, and takes a closer look at the disparate life that exists in the emptiness. By visiting places like the Atacama Desert - which spans Chile and Peru - and boasts white salt basins, emerald-coloured lagoons, lava flows and blue, red and purple mountains, Deserts And Life helps to re-inform our knowledge about these enormous diverse stretches of land.

Part 5: Namib Desert

The Namib Desert is often referred to as the world's oldest desert and has been in existence for some 43 million years, remaining unchanged in its present form for the last 2 million years. The Namib is an immense expanse of relentlessly moving gravel plains and dunes of all shapes and sizes that stretch along the entire coastline. The most widespread and dominant type of desert sand dune are linear dunes, with crescent shaped dunes common along the coast and clusters of star dunes, such as the towering horseshoe of dunes at Sossusvlei, found in the eastern reaches of the sand sea. In spite of its harsh, dry landscape, this unfriendly habitat is teeming with wildlife including rhinos and elephants (which have specially adapted to life here), lions, gemsbok, hartemans zebra and black-faced impala. Around 3,500 species of plants are also found here. Although living conditions in this environment are tough, over 80,000 people made up of different ethnic groups live in the Kunene region alone. Most make a living through livestock farming (cattle, goats and sheep) and many live a nomadic lifestyle which means they travel from place to place.

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