Fairy Circles still a mystery

THE ORIGINS of grass-less circle spots which occur in the vegetated dunes of the Namib Desert remain a mystery.

So far scientists have only come up with unsubstantiated theories. Some scientists theorise that the so-called ‘fairy circles’ are caused by euphorbia poisoning, animal dust baths or by asteroid rain.But they have yet to prove this scientifically.Others suggest that the fairy circles were fossil termitaria.Professor GK Theron from the University of Pretoria, who started studying the fairy circles back in 1978, suggested that poisonous latex from Euphorbia damaran, which occurs abundantly in those areas, could be responsible for the formation of the barren patches.In 2003, Dr Willie Jankowitz wrote that “these fascinating phenomenon” occur in a broken belt in the pro-Namib zone of the west coast of southern Africa, extending from southern Angola through Namibia, to just south of the Orange River in the Ritchterveld in South Africa.The NamibRand Nature Reserve in southern Namibia is also home to a number of fairy circles, and the reserve invites visitors to adopt their own fairy circles or to dedicate them to someone special to them.After making a minimum donation of US$60, or the equivalent in Namibian Dollars or in any other convertible currency, the fairy circle is then marked with a numbered clay disc.A certificate is issued to the owner acknowledging his or her donation and stating the exact location of the selected fairy circle.A fairy circle register is being managed by the NamibRand Conservation Foundation (NRCF), which will use the funds donated for research aimed at determining the origin of fairy circles.Part of the proceeds will also be used to support the NamibRand Desert Awareness and Research Centre as well as other projects related to the activities of the centre and the reserve.Some scientists theorise that the so-called ‘fairy circles’ are caused by euphorbia poisoning, animal dust baths or by asteroid rain.But they have yet to prove this scientifically.Others suggest that the fairy circles were fossil termitaria.Professor GK Theron from the University of Pretoria, who started studying the fairy circles back in 1978, suggested that poisonous latex from Euphorbia damaran, which occurs abundantly in those areas, could be responsible for the formation of the barren patches.In 2003, Dr Willie Jankowitz wrote that “these fascinating phenomenon” occur in a broken belt in the pro-Namib zone of the west coast of southern Africa, extending from southern Angola through Namibia, to just south of the Orange River in the Ritchterveld in South Africa.The NamibRand Nature Reserve in southern Namibia is also home to a number of fairy circles, and the reserve invites visitors to adopt their own fairy circles or to dedicate them to someone special to them.After making a minimum donation of US$60, or the equivalent in Namibian Dollars or in any other convertible currency, the fairy circle is then marked with a numbered clay disc.A certificate is issued to the owner acknowledging his or her donation and stating the exact location of the selected fairy circle.A fairy circle register is being managed by the NamibRand Conservation Foundation (NRCF), which will use the funds donated for research aimed at determining the origin of fairy circles.Part of the proceeds will also be used to support the NamibRand Desert Awareness and Research Centre as well as other projects related to the activities of the centre and the reserve.