Giants of the Desert

The Kaokoveld, one of the world's most forbidding wastes, is host to an assortment of animals that have found ways of surviving in this hostile environment. Here giraffes go entirely without water and rhinos climb towering mountains in search of that scarce resource. But most unforgettable of all must be the elephants of the Namib. Witnessing these giants cross bare sand dunes is a once-in-a-lifetime sight, and Prof. Fritz Eloff writes evocatively of their habits and environment. Giants of the desert is a fascinating introduction to this harsh world and its denizens, vividly brought to life in both images and words. Prof. Fritz Eloff was head of the zoology department at the University of Pretoria for 31 years (1954-1985) and during this period he made an indelible mark on his field of study, both in southern Africa and worldwide. He was also chairman of the National Parks Board of South Africa for 15 years (1979-1994), chaired the Council of Curators, Transvaal Museum, for 28 years and has contributed to numerous scientific and zoological publications. Jagters van die duine, his first book, was published in 1999.