Namib Desert Live Stream

The waterhole is within the privately owned  Gondwana Namib Park, bordering the Namib Naukluft Park in the oldest desert of the world, called Namib Desert. This desert is largely located in Namibia, Southern Africa.

GPS coordinates : -24.074923, 15.887410 Elevation: 942m

In this private park, all man-made barriers have been removed, creating a space over 56,540 square kilometers (i.e. 21,830 sq mi) for Ecotourism as it was the only sustainable form of land use with the potential to balance the scales and restore the wildlife and vegetation, while nurturing the land.

Wildlife moves freely between the two parks and the other privately owned guest farms.

Namibia is a small country, located in southern Africa.

The country gained independence from South Africa in 1990, and is the second least densely populated country in the world (approximately 2.5 million people).

Namibia was the first country in the world to include protection of the environment (conservation) in its constitution. Approximately 42% of the country's landmass has been allocated to conservation; this does not include private-protected land, such as the Gondwana Namib Park.

Animals seen at the water include:

Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)

Angolan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis)

Blue wildebeest \ Gnu (Connochaetes taurinus)

Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)

Hartmann's mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) 

Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchelii)

Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)

Steenbok (Raphicercus campestris)

Common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)

Cape hare (Lepus capensis)

Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis)

Feral Horses

Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

Brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea)

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas)

Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)

Cape fox (Vulpes chama)

Small spotted genet (Genetta genetta)

Aardwolf (Proteles cristata)

African Wildcat (Felis lybica)

Honey badger(Mellivora capensis)

Red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus caama)

Striped polecat (Ictronyx striatus)

A variety of birds

In response to reduced availability of natural water sources for wildlife, this artificial waterhole was build in 2006 after the farm was converted by Gondwana Collection Namibia into a nature reserve and game species which had once been indigenous to the area was reintroduced . 

The waterhole was reconstructed in June 2021 with the round "rock" in the middle to reduce evaporation and provide birds a perch.

A solar-powered pump on a 100m (300ft) deep borehole draws water from the aquifer (groundwater) into a reservoir 150m to the north-east behind the camera. A pipe feeds the waterhole from the reservoir and the flow is regulated via a float valve and water refills automatically.

A pipe feeds the waterhole from the reservoir and the flow is regulated via a float valve as the waterhole’s levels decline and refills as animal numbers reduce.

Animals could also drink at the reservoir 150m behind the camera but prefer the waterhole.

There is another waterhole 8km to the south at the Namib Desert Lodge.

These animals are not found in this area of Namibia.

They do however occur in the northern parts of Namibia.

The camera was installed in 2016 and is mounted on a pole 3 meters from the waterhole facing south-southeast.

It is  powered by solar-panels and the data is sent via Wireless signal over 35km of dunes to the nearest service provider. Initially a live stream was sent to a website and changed to YouTube in June 2021. A microphone was installed in August 2021 to enhanced the experience watching the game. The camera was replaced in December 2021.

There have been sightings of the following:

Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas)

Bat-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis)

Cape fox (Vulpes chama)

Small spotted Genet (Genetta genetta)

The animals are licking on a salt block or lick  put out by the rangers of the park.

Salt blocks are deposit of mineral salts used by animals, primarily herbivore,  to supplement essential nutrients like calcium magnesium, sodium and zinc ensuring enough minerals in their diets.

There is grass, trees and bushes within one kilometer radius of the waterhole which currently provides sufficient food for the animals.

There are two feral or free-roaming horses that visit the waterhole at times.

These are from one of the surrounding farms and have entered the Park as there are no boundary fences.