Wild horses have lived in the Namibian desert for more than a century. But their future is under threat. Photographer and filmmaker Teagan Cunniffe has captured the lives of the wild horses of the Namib Desert in intimate detail. Here she shares some of her best shots.<br />
Wild horses have lived in the Namibian desert for more than a century. But their future is under threat. Photographer and filmmaker Teagan Cunniffe has captured the lives of the wild horses of the Namib Desert in intimate detail. Here she shares some of her best shots.
Teagan Cunniffe
"They're quite small and lean (and) angular," says the photographer of the horses, which descended from mining and/or military stock according to local historical accounts. "They don't really interact too much with you; they just go about doing their thing."
"They're quite small and lean (and) angular," says the photographer of the horses, which descended from mining and/or military stock according to local historical accounts. "They don't really interact too much with you; they just go about doing their thing."
Teagan Cunniffe
Driving in parts of the Namib-Naukluft National Park is a no-go, says Cunniffe. "You can't drive all over this untouched land," she says, "it would take years to recover from tire tracks. So you have to walk carrying your equipment ... You choose between videoing or photography, generally."
Driving in parts of the Namib-Naukluft National Park is a no-go, says Cunniffe. "You can't drive all over this untouched land," she says, "it would take years to recover from tire tracks. So you have to walk carrying your equipment ... You choose between videoing or photography, generally."
Teagan Cunniffe
Cunniffe says one of the challenges in the Namib is the severe desert winds. "It can pick up for days, and the horses are quite used to it, so they'll brace against it," she says, "but to be able to film with those conditions is tricky to say the least. Everything gets very shaky."
Cunniffe says one of the challenges in the Namib is the severe desert winds. "It can pick up for days, and the horses are quite used to it, so they'll brace against it," she says, "but to be able to film with those conditions is tricky to say the least. Everything gets very shaky."
Teagan Cunniffe
"The horses go to the waterhole during the day, generally in the morning when it starts to get warmer," says Cunniffe. "They'll come in and drink and then the bachelors (juvenile males without a harem) will fight -- it's quite a good photo opportunity."
"The horses go to the waterhole during the day, generally in the morning when it starts to get warmer," says Cunniffe. "They'll come in and drink and then the bachelors (juvenile males without a harem) will fight -- it's quite a good photo opportunity."
Teagan Cunniffe
Cunniffe says her favorite photograph is one of two stallions fighting: "It was taken at about three o'clock, so the light was still quite hard ... This was almost backlit and quite harsh, but I think it suits the scene and what's going on."
Cunniffe says her favorite photograph is one of two stallions fighting: "It was taken at about three o'clock, so the light was still quite hard ... This was almost backlit and quite harsh, but I think it suits the scene and what's going on."
Teagan Cunniffe
Many of the hopes for the future of the herd rest on the fate of Zohra, the first foal to reach her first birthday in seven years (pictured December 2019).
Many of the hopes for the future of the herd rest on the fate of Zohra, the first foal to reach her first birthday in seven years (pictured December 2019).
Teagan Cunniffe
Zohra, which means "flower blossom" in Persian, is "a lovely filly" says Cunniffe, and "very, very friendly." "She'd walk up to you, and you'd have to walk away, because you're not supposed to interact with them."
Zohra, which means "flower blossom" in Persian, is "a lovely filly" says Cunniffe, and "very, very friendly." "She'd walk up to you, and you'd have to walk away, because you're not supposed to interact with them."
Teagan Cunniffe
A number of new foals were born recently, but conditions were tough in early 2020. Drought had hit the national park, but at the time of writing six foals were currently alive and rain had finally arrived.
A number of new foals were born recently, but conditions were tough in early 2020. Drought had hit the national park, but at the time of writing six foals were currently alive and rain had finally arrived.
Teagan Cunniffe
"I've been photographing the wild horses for quite a period of time and have seen them going through times of drought and times of more grass," says Cunniffe. "Watching their behaviour change and photographing these horses ... has been a complete privilege."
"I've been photographing the wild horses for quite a period of time and have seen them going through times of drought and times of more grass," says Cunniffe. "Watching their behaviour change and photographing these horses ... has been a complete privilege."
Teagan Cunniffe