The Skeleton Coast’s wildlife divides into two categories as different as the coast’s two sections: the marine and coastal wildlife accessible on the southern self-drive (seals, coastal birds, occasional dolphin), and the remote desert wildlife of the northern wilderness (desert lion, desert elephant, brown hyena).
Marine Wildlife
Cape fur seal: The dominant coastal wildlife. Multiple colonies along the southern coast; Cape Cross alone holds 100,000+ individuals. The Pelican Point colony at Walvis Bay is accessible by kayak. Full guide: Kap-Pelzrobben.
Heaviside’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus heavisidii): Endemic to the Benguela Current system; one of the world’s rarest dolphins and one of the few cetaceans found only in a single ocean current system. Distinguished by a distinctive black-and-white colouring pattern and a small, robust body. Seen from the shore and from boats along the southern Skeleton Coast; particularly concentrated in the Walvis Bay to Lüderitz zone.
Humpback whale: Seasonal; May to November; migrating past the coast between Antarctic feeding grounds and tropical breeding areas. Seen from shore occasionally; more reliably from boats.
African penguin: Occasional visitor to the Namibian coast; not resident but recorded.
Desert Wildlife (Northern Wilderness)
Desert lion: See desert lion guide.
Desert-adapted elephant: See Hoarusib elephant guide.
Brown hyena: Common throughout the Skeleton Coast but predominantly nocturnal. Scavenges seal carcasses at coastal colonies; ranges widely between water sources in the interior. Tracks are very frequently found; the animal itself is rarely encountered in daylight.
Black-backed jackal: Active at dawn and dusk; reliably seen along the coastal zone near seal colonies where carcasses provide food.
Oryx: Use the coastal zone and river corridors; visually striking against the dune and ocean backdrop.
Vögel
Damara tern (Sternula balaenarum): One of the world’s rarest terns; Namibia and South Africa coast endemic; nests on gravel plains near the coast; approximately 7,000 individuals total. A specific birding target at known nesting areas.
Cape cormorant: Breeds at Cape Cross in large numbers; regularly seen fishing in the surf zone.
Bank cormorant: Endangered; restricted to the cold-water Benguela zone; identified by its distinctive rounded profile and lack of white facial markings compared to Cape cormorant.
Kelp gull: The most visible bird along the entire coast; large, bold, and opportunistic.
African oystercatcher: Black-and-red; distinctive on rocky shore sections; restricted to the southern African coast.
Birdwatching on the Skeleton Coast
Welwitschia on the Skeleton Coast
For the full coastal birding experience including the Walvis Bay lagoon, see the birdwatching guide.