​Wildlife & Animals – Skeleton Coast NP

Anthony Ham
Expert
By Anthony Ham

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the 'Botswana & Namibia' guide.

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of the 'Botswana & Namibia' Lonely Planet guide.

Anthony is the author of the 'Botswana & Namibia' Lonely Planet guide.

This coastal park is home to a variety of marine wildlife. Cape-fur seals are abundant. The most accessible colony is at Cape Cross, outside the park to the south. Up to 100,000 animals can be seen here at any time. Wooden boardwalks make for easy viewing and vantage points. Be prepared for an overpowering stench and high noise levels.

Abundant
Common
Occasional
Rare
None
ElephantVery Rare
GiraffeNone
HippoRare
BuffaloNone
ZebraRare
WildebeestNone
White RhinoNone
Black RhinoVery Rare
LionRare to none
LeopardVery Rare
CheetahNone
HyenaOccasional
Wild DogNone

Wildlife Highlights

It is not unusual to see the otherwise very shy, but handsome, brown hyena trotting along the beach searching for beached seal carcasses. It is also worth looking out into the sea for a glimpse of the rare Heaviside's dolphins. The mouth of the Uniab River attracts some wildlife coming in from Kaokoland, further inland. This includes oryx, springbok and greater kudu.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Skeleton Coast can be visited year-round as the seal colonies are always present and other wildlife is hit-and-miss throughout the year. April and May are the least favorable months, since it tends to be very foggy with cold winds and animals usually take cover. November to April is the summer season – temperatures tend to be higher with less fog.

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