Naukluft Mountains
| Naukluft | ||
|---|---|---|
 Naukluft Mountains as seen from Sesriem |
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| Highest peak | Work Adelt ( 1965 m ) | |
| location | Hardap , Namibia | |
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| Coordinates | 24 ° 10 ′ S , 16 ° 10 ′ E | |
| rock | volcanic | |
| Age of the rock | 1 billion | |
| surface | 850 km² | |
The Naukluft Mountains , mostly just called Naukluft , are located on the eastern edge of the Namib at the height of Sesriem and rise an average of 1000 meters above the foreland, from where they can be seen as a closed front. The highest peaks of the massif are almost 2000 m . The Naukluft massif forms a prominent part of the large peripheral step . The mountain range takes its name from a narrow gorge ('Nau Gorge') in the east of the massif. The Naukluft massif offers a spectacular mountain landscape with deep gorges that are criss-crossed by year-round creeks that form crystal clear pools.
geology
The first geological research and mapping in the Naukluft Mountains were carried out by the two German geologists Henno Martin and Hermann Korn from 1935 onwards. The bedrock of the Naukluft massif is of volcanic origin and dates back to the Precambrian . Its age is over 1 billion years. Above this Precambrian basement there are a series of mighty dolomite and limestone layers that have pushed themselves over the basement from the north from the Damara Mountains , which is why the Naukluft is known as the ceiling mountains . During an icing phase in the Permian or Carboniferous , a large transverse valley was formed that was initially filled with sediments . Today the Tsondab flows there and clears the valley again. Due to the often large runoff from the mountain massif, overflowing channels have formed in the foreland, which have concentrated in some areas to clearly defined channels, which today represent the bed of Tsondab and Tsauchab . The dolomite of the cover rock absorbs the rare precipitation and releases the water again at numerous source horizons , so that water-bearing streams can be found all year round in the Naukluft. In the area of the gorges and waterfalls there are many tufa formations.
climate
The average annual precipitation in the area of the Naukluft is 200 mm, however the rain falls very irregularly and with varying intensity, so that precipitation of up to 500 mm / a is just as possible as years with precipitation below 50 mm. Between December and April is the rainy season , the precipitation often falls in local, mostly very violent thunderstorms. The highest amounts of precipitation fall in the east, towards the west it decreases. In summer the temperatures in the lower areas reach between 35 and 40 ° C, in the plateau still up to 30 degrees. The winter temperatures are significantly lower with an average of 20 ° C, but night frosts often occur at night and day temperatures of around 5 ° C are possible on some days.
history
Historically, the Naukluft Mountains have often served as a refuge for various groups because of their inaccessibility on the one hand, but also thanks to their year-round springs. The Witbooi under their chief Hendrik Witbooi also fled here in 1893 after they had been put to flight in the battle of Hornkranz - an unlawful attack on their fortress "Hornkranz" by German protection troops led by Curt von François . In August 1894 there was a dispute in the Naukluft Mountains. After a heavy battle, Hendrik Witbooi finally had to surrender to the protection force and conclude a “protection and assistance contract” with them on September 19.
vegetation
The Naukluft Mountains lie in the transition area between savannah and desert . The sandy transition zone from the eastern foothills of the Namib dunes to the foot of the massif is largely free of vegetation, but in years of rainfall the area turns into a surging sea of grasses. Dense camel thorn ( Vachellia erioloba ) and three thorn ( Rhigozum trichotomum ) can also be found here and there along the gullies and rivers .
To the south of the Naukluft massif is a gravel plain , which is mostly loosely covered with paper bark balsam tree ( Commiphora glaucescens ) and Commiphora tennipetiolata . In between there are bushes of threesome ( Rhigozum trichotomum ), raisin bush ( Grewia tenax ) and blackthorn ( Catophractes alexandri ).
The vegetation of the mountain slopes differs significantly from the canyon vegetation or the vegetation of the high plateau and shows clear differences between south and west exposed slopes and east and north slopes. The reason for this is the different levels of sunshine and, in particular, the precipitation situation, as the south and west slopes are in the rain shadow of the mountains and therefore receive significantly less precipitation. The vegetation is therefore sparse and small on the south and west exposed slopes. The quiver tree ( Aloe dichotoma ), paper bark balsam tree ( Commiphora glaucescens ), Gürich's milkweed ( Euphorbia guerichiana ) and occasionally even Moringa ovalifolia grow here . White trunk ( Boscia albitrunca ), mountain thorn ( Vachellia hereroensis ) and black bark tree ( Ozoroa crassinervia ) can be found on the moister northern slopes . The slopes on the southern rise of the Naukluft show larger, dense populations of the resurrection bush ( Myrothamnus flabellifolius ).
The vegetation of the gorges is clearly separated from the slope vegetation. The vegetation here is more species-rich and dense, even if the rivers themselves often lack dense bank vegetation, as the fast-flowing streams prevent the deposition of larger layers of sediment . More than 164 species of plants can be found in the Naukluft Gorge alone. The striking species include the mulberry fig ( Ficus sycomorus ), Ficus ilicina, which cling to the rock with their trunk, and the Karoo acacia ( Vachellia karroo ) along the banks. On the slopes of the ravine there are Boscia foetida and again Euphorbia virosa , paper bark balsam tree ( Commiphora glaucescens ), moringa ( Moringa ovalifolia ) and the quiver tree ( Aloe dichotoma ) and occasionally also wild olive ( Olea europea subsp. Africana ).
On the high plateau there is karoo vegetation, kapok bush ( Eriocephalus ericoides ) , mountain thorn ( Vachellia hereroensis ), black bark tree ( Ozoroa crassinervia ) and white trunk ( Boscia albitrunca ). Camel thorn, black thorn ( Catophractes alexandri ), ring-sleeved acacia ( Vachellia tortilis ) and waiting-a-while ( Ziziphus mucronata ) can be found along the shallower watercourses here .
fauna
The Hartmann mountain zebra and klipspringer can be found on the mountainous slopes of the Naukluft . Greater numbers of kudu can be found in the gorges, and springboks , oryx , crown dukets and ibexes on the plateau . In addition to jackals , spoonbills and Cape foxes, predators also include smaller cats (e.g. gorse cats ), aardwolves and many leopards . Numerous species of small mammals are also represented. After all, 145 species of birds are still found in the Naukluft.
tourism
The Naukluft is part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park . A simple camp with few places is available for visitors, there are no supply options. To explore the Naukluft there are two day hiking trails and an 8-day, very strenuous hiking trail available to visitors. A 4x4 track offers off-road enthusiasts the opportunity to explore the Naukluft by off-road vehicle.
See also
literature
- Mary Seely, John Pallet: Namib. Secrets of a desert uncovered. Venture Publications, Windhoek 2008, ISBN 978-3-941602-06-9 .
- L. Riley, W. Riley: Natures Strongholds - The Worlds great Wildlife Reserves. Princeton University Press, 2004.
- S. Olivier, W. Olivier: Nature reserves in Namibia. Longman Namibia, 1994.
- K. Hüser among others: Namibia - A country study in pictures. Klaus Hess, 2001.
- N. Grünert: Namibia's Fascinating Geology: A Travel Guide. Klaus Hess, 2003.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Henno Martin: If there is war, we go into the desert . Two Books, Hamburg, ISBN 3-935453-00-0 .