Fish River Canyon is not a game reserve in the Etosha sense; it is not managed for wildlife density and the concentrations of large mammals are modest. What the canyon offers is the specific wildlife of a rocky, arid canyon system: the species that have adapted to cliffs, boulders, and the microclimate of the canyon interior.
Mammals
Klipspringer: The most frequently seen mammal at the canyon rim and on the upper canyon walls. The klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) is built for rocky terrain: its cylindrical hooves balance on the tips of rocks; it can stand on a surface the size of a coin. Pairs are territorial and typically seen at specific regular points on the canyon rim rocks. The dawn and dusk periods are most productive.
Mountain zebra (Hartmann’s): Hartmann’s mountain zebra use the canyon rim grassland and upper canyon terrain. Less commonly seen than klipspringer; more likely during early morning walks on the Hobas rim roads.
Baboon: Chacma baboon troops use both the rim and the upper canyon walls. They are conspicuous and noisy at the rim viewpoints, particularly in the early morning. Habituated to vehicles; do not feed them.
Leopard: Present in the canyon system but genuinely rare in terms of sightings. The rocky terrain and the presence of klipspringer (the leopard’s preferred prey in rocky environments) makes the canyon appropriate habitat. Track evidence is more common than sightings.
Birds
Verreaux’s eagle: The canyon provides ideal habitat for this specialised raptor, which depends on rock hyrax. Verreaux’s eagle pairs nest on the canyon cliff faces and soar on the thermals above the canyon rim. The large all-black body with distinctive white back patches makes identification straightforward in flight.
Lanner falcon: Common throughout the canyon rim area; hunts birds in the open terrain above the canyon.
Pale chanting goshawk: Roadside raptor on the approaches to Hobas; conspicuous on fence posts and shrubs.
Various swifts and swallows: Use the canyon air space and nest in the cliff faces.
Fish
The Fish River holds two freshwater fish species in its flow periods: the Largemouth yellowfish (Labeobarbus kimberleyensis) and the endemic Bushman’s River bulgy eye (Petrocephalus wesselsi). The river flows seasonally; outside the flow period, fish concentrate in the deep pools that persist year-round.
Contact Mat-Travel to plan a Fish River Canyon programme.