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The “Namibian Desert Duo” will be the first Namibian team to participate in the legendary Perskindol Swiss Epic mountain bike event in Switzerland. Gaby Raith (34) and Stephan Harrison (45), together have over 40 years of cycling experience in southern Africa. This will be their first time participating in a European race.

Working in the tourism industry: What are the employment opportunities? What are the requirements? How can I apply? All these questions were answered by the Gondwana Collection personnel at the NMH #Festival and Career Expo at SKW in Windhoek, on 07-09 September 2017.

Now would actually be a good time to light a fire and spend the night in the bush, he thinks. However, Omaruru isn’t much further from here and he can find his way easily in the dark. He is also spurred on by ambition. The journey to Walvis Bay has taken him less than three weeks, which is really fast but quite normal for him. Wouldn’t they be amazed then, if he returned tonight? And also terribly pleased about this particularly heavy bag of letters they always awaited so eagerly? Ignoring the heavy load on his shoulder he continues his trot through the bush. There! Isn’t that the glow of a fire ahead of him?

In the midst of a dense bush an Oates’ bird snake (Thelotornis capensis oatesi) is holding on to a Leopard whip snake (Psammophis leopardinus). The prey, gripped behind its head, finds itself lodged askew in the far back of the bird snake’s mouth. Bird snakes usually eat lizards, chameleons and frogs. They rarely catch birds and other snakes. Cobras in particular are known for eating other snakes.

The international rating agency Moody’s downgraded Namibia’s foreign debt rating to below investment grade or “junk status”. Petrol and diesel prices remained unchanged. The central bank lowered its repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.75 percent. The Labour Ministry commissioned a study to look at ways to introduce a national minimum wage.

During his four years of research in the Naye Naye communal conservancy the predator expert and researcher Flip Stander found over 240 prey animals of leopards. On only two occasions these were cheetahs. With the help of the Ju/Hoansi, who can read spoors like an open book, Stander was able to reconstruct one of the hunts of one of the spotted cats.

Arrival on 22 July this year, departure on 5 August. Dr Stefan Bader and his sister Dr Heike Berger, both from Germany, were on a tight schedule. Accompanied by two dental assistants they covered more than 3000 km. A total of 446 patients seen for check-ups and treatments, 223 teeth extracted, 85 cavities filled, plus plaque removed from 67 sets of teeth and 12 other dental problems attended to in just two weeks. 

"They [the Hereros] had just left when we were startled by heavy rifle fire in the vicinity. We were certain that this was the dreaded signal for attack. Women and children, some of whom had already been robbed of their ornaments, fled to us fearful and panic-stricken and reported that the Namaqua were approaching. We withdrew into our house." This is what missionary Friedrich Kolbe wrote into his diary about the bloody attack which the Afrikaner-Oorlam launched on Herero chief Kahitjene in Okahandja on 23 August 1850.

In the middle of July a nine-ton block of white marble was offloaded at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) in Windhoek. The block had been selected by well-known French artist and sculptor Gé Pellini from a quarry near Karibib. In the midst of fine white dust and chunks of marble Pellini created a white rhino, which is to be auctioned on 31 August. The aim of the project is to raise urgently needed funds for the protection of rhinos and elephants in Namibia.