Animals in Namibia
Oryx
Oryx gazella and Oryx beisa (genus Oryx)
The oryx, Namibia’s national animal, represents strength and grace in the desert. Its long horns and ability to survive with little water make it a true symbol of endurance. Often seen in open landscapes, it reflects the harmony between wildlife and the harsh but beautiful Namibian environment.
View details→Wildlife in Namibia
Namibia’s wildlife thrives in vast deserts, rugged mountains and along the Atlantic coast. Desert elephants, oryxes, giraffes and rhinos wander across dry plains, while whales and dolphins move through cold coastal waters. National parks such as Etosha and Skeleton Coast protect these species and attract visitors from around the world.
Most Dangerous Animals in Namibia
Some of Namibia’s wildlife can be dangerous, especially elephants, hippos and predators in remote areas. In coastal waters, sharks and seals can be seen near fishing zones. Keeping distance and following guide instructions ensures a safe and respectful experience in nature.
Top 10 Animals in Namibia
Namibia’s most famous animals include elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs and rhinos. Visitors can explore Etosha National Park, where herds gather around waterholes, or travel to the Skeleton Coast to see seals resting on the beaches. The country’s open spaces make wildlife observation both easy and unforgettable.
African Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Namibia is famous for its desert adapted elephants, which live in the dry riverbeds of the Kunene and Erongo regions in the northwest. They are the same species as other savanna elephants but have learned to survive with little water, traveling long distances between waterholes and digging for water in sand rivers. Etosha National Park and the Zambezi Region in the northeast, part of the Kavango-Zambezi area, hold most of the country's elephants. IUCN status: Endangered.
Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
In Namibia, African buffaloes are largely confined to the northeastern Caprivi Strip, now known as the Zambezi Region, where the floodplains of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers provide the permanent water and lush grazing they require. A separate disease free herd lives on the Waterberg Plateau, far from the cattle of the northeast. Communal conservancies in the northeast now play a growing role in supporting viable populations. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
Namibia has the world's largest cheetah population, roughly 1,500 adults and subadults, and about 90 percent live on farmland rather than in parks. The Cheetah Conservation Fund, founded near Otjiwarongo in 1990 by Laurie Marker, has helped farmers protect livestock with guarding dogs instead of shooting cheetahs. Etosha National Park also offers sightings among springboks and oryx. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Sable Antelope
Hippotragus niger
In Namibia, sable antelopes live in the northeast, in the Zambezi Region, the old Caprivi Strip. The best known herd lives in the Mahango core area of Bwabwata National Park, on the floodplains and woodland along the Okavango River, and sable also roam along the Kwando River. Elsewhere in Namibia they are found only on private game farms. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis
Namibia is a stronghold of the Angolan giraffe, part of the southern giraffe. Giraffes live in Etosha National Park, in communal conservancies and on private farms, and in the Kunene region some survive in the dry desert, browsing along sandy riverbeds. Strong laws and community conservancies have helped their numbers grow, and Namibian giraffes have been moved to Angola. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Greater Kudu
Tragelaphus strepsiceros
Namibia has one of Africa's largest greater kudu populations, spread across thornbush savanna and dry woodland, much of it on private farmland. Etosha National Park offers reliable sightings. Kudus here have also suffered from rabies, which spread between them from 1977 and killed an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 animals by 1985. A new wave began in 2002, and the disease is now endemic. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
In Namibia, hippos live only in the northeast, along the Okavango, Kwando, Linyanti, Chobe and Zambezi rivers, in parks such as Bwabwata, Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara. These rivers are the only part of this dry country with enough permanent water for them. Numbers are small compared with Botswana and Zambia, and conflict over crops is common near villages. Boat trips on the Chobe and Kwando are the best way to see them. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
In Namibia, spotted hyenas live mainly in the north, in Etosha National Park, the Zambezi Region and the communal conservancies of the northeast, and in smaller numbers along dry riverbeds toward the Namib. Etosha's open plains support large clans that hunt zebras, springbok and wildebeest. In the drier south and west the brown hyena is more common. Community conservancies help reduce conflict with farmers. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Namibia has both kinds of impala. The common impala lives in the wet northeast, in the Zambezi Region. The black faced impala, larger and darker with a dark stripe on the face, lives only in the northwest and in southwestern Angola. In 1968 to 1971, 310 were moved to Etosha National Park, now the best place to see them. That subspecies is Vulnerable, with 3,000 to 4,000 adults. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Black backed Jackal
Lupulella mesomelas
In Namibia, the black backed jackal inhabits the arid plains of the Namib Desert, the central highland farms, and the thornbush savanna of the north. It is one of the most persecuted predators in the country due to attacks on sheep and goats on commercial and communal farmland. Populations remain resilient regardless. Its IUCN status is Least Concern. It often scavenges alongside vultures at carcasses across the open landscape.
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Namibia has a large leopard population, and most of it lives outside national parks, on commercial and communal farmland in the central and northern regions. That makes conflict over calves, sheep and goats a constant issue, and conservancies and groups such as AfriCat have worked on ways to reduce it. Leopards also live in Etosha and in the rocky mountains and dry riverbeds of the west. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Lion
Panthera leo
Etosha National Park is Namibia's best place to see lions, often waiting at waterholes in the dry season. In the northwest, desert adapted lions roam the dry riverbeds of the Kunene region, and some have reached the Skeleton Coast, where they have been seen eating seals and seabirds. Lions also live in the parks of the Zambezi Region, such as Bwabwata and Nkasa Rupara, linked to Botswana's Okavango and Chobe. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Oryx
Oryx gazella and Oryx beisa (genus Oryx)
The gemsbok is Namibia's national animal and appears on the country's coat of arms. It roams the dunes of the Namib Desert, including Sossusvlei, and the plains of Etosha National Park, and large numbers live on private farms. Perfectly suited to heat, it stores heat in its body during the day and releases it at night, saving water. Namibia holds one of the largest populations in Africa. IUCN status: Least Concern (gemsbok).
Springbok
Antidorcas marsupialis
In Namibia, the springbok is one of the most commonly seen large mammals, from the gravel plains of the Namib to the grasslands around the Etosha Pan, where herds gather at waterholes in the dry season. It can go long periods without drinking, getting moisture from the plants it eats. Large numbers also live on farms and in communal conservancies, and herds grow quickly after good rains. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
In Namibia, warthogs live across the bushveld and savanna of the north and center, and in Etosha National Park they are among the most visible mammals at the waterholes. They cope well with the dry climate, digging up bulbs and roots when grass is scarce, and they avoid only the true desert of the Namib. Lions, leopards and cheetahs prey on them. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus
In Namibia the African wild dog lives in the northeast, in Khaudum National Park, the Nyae Nyae conservancy and the Zambezi region, where packs can move across borders into Botswana and Angola. Large unfenced areas give them room to follow prey, while community conservancies help reduce conflict with farmers. Elsewhere in the country the dogs disappeared long ago. They share this land with lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. IUCN status: Endangered.
Wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
In Namibia, blue wildebeest are a common sight in Etosha National Park, where the dry season pulls herds to waterholes on the edge of the great salt pan. There they drink alongside zebras, springbok, oryx and elephants, while lions watch from nearby. Wildebeest also live on private reserves across the country, and the black wildebeest has been introduced to some farms. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Zebra
Equus quagga
Namibia is one of the only countries with two zebra species. The Hartmann's mountain zebra lives along the rocky escarpment and dry hills of the northwest, well adapted to steep, arid terrain, while plains zebras range across Etosha National Park and other savanna areas further east. Namibia holds one of the largest mountain zebra populations in Africa, supported by extensive private and communal conservation land.
Black Rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis
Namibia holds the largest share of the world's black rhinos, about 35 percent at the end of 2021, almost all of the south western subspecies. Many live in Etosha National Park, and the desert adapted rhinos of the Kunene Region roam freely on communal land, guarded by Save the Rhino Trust and local conservancy rangers. Visitors can track them on foot. Dehorning is widely used to deter poachers. IUCN status: Critically Endangered.
Meerkat
Suricata suricatta
In Namibia, meerkats live on the open plains of the south and center, especially along the Kalahari edge east of Mariental and around Keetmanshoop. Mobs of up to 30 share burrows, take turns as sentinels and dig for beetle larvae and scorpions, often in the same dry country as springboks and oryx. They avoid thick bush and the bare dune sea of the inner Namib. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Pangolin
Manidae (8 species)
Temminck's ground pangolin lives across the savannas of northern and central Namibia and the Kalahari in the east. It is one of the country's most trafficked animals, and police regularly arrest people trying to sell live pangolins or scales. Seized animals are often cared for by the Rare and Endangered Species Trust near Otjiwarongo before being released. The species is Vulnerable and protected by Namibian law. IUCN status: varies by species.
Caracal
Caracal caracal
Namibia holds one of the highest densities of caracals on the continent, particularly across commercial farmland in the central and northern regions. This abundance has led to widespread persecution, as farmers consider it a serious threat to small livestock and goats. Conservation efforts increasingly focus on nonlethal deterrents to reduce this conflict. The species occupies scrubland and dry savanna with ease. The IUCN classifies it as Least Concern.
Serval
Leptailurus serval
In Namibia, servals are mostly found in the wetter northeast, in the Zambezi Region, once called the Caprivi Strip, and along the Okavango, Kwando and Chobe rivers, where floodplains and reed beds are full of rodents. Bwabwata National Park is a good place to look for them at dawn or dusk, when they hunt in the long grass. They are rare or absent in the dry center and on the coast. IUCN status: Least Concern.
African Civet
Civettictis civetta
The African civet in Namibia is confined to the northeast, in the Caprivi Strip and Kavango region, where the Okavango and Zambezi river systems create a network of woodland, riverine forest and wetland. Bwabwata National Park and surrounding communal conservancies form the core of its range in the country. The rest of Namibia, dominated by the Namib Desert and arid Kalahari, provides no suitable habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
In Namibia the honey badger ranges across the Kalahari, the edges of the Namib desert, Etosha and the savannas of the north and northeast, wherever loose soil makes digging possible. It feeds on rodents, reptiles, scorpions and insects and is known to face up to much larger predators. Its tolerance of heat and drought makes it one of the country's most resilient carnivores. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Common Genet
Genetta genetta
The common genet, known here as the small spotted genet, is found across most of Namibia except the Namib sand sea and the far north center, and it is most abundant in the thornbush savanna of the central highlands. It does well in dry country, getting much of its water from its prey. Nocturnal and secretive, it rests by day in burrows, rock crevices or hollow trees. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Brown Hyena
Parahyaena brunnea
Namibia has about 800 to 1,200 brown hyenas, and up to half may live along the Namib coast, where locals call them strandwolves. Around Lüderitz they feed on Cape fur seals and seabirds washed up on the beaches, catch seal pups at the colonies and rest in the ruins of the old diamond town of Kolmanskop. Inland they live in Etosha and the Kalahari, where farmers still kill them. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Hartebeest
Alcelaphus buselaphus
In Namibia, the red hartebeest is common across the savannas and dry grasslands of the north and east and on many private game farms. It is a regular sight in Etosha National Park, where herds graze near zebras, wildebeest and springboks. With its reddish coat, black face blaze and zigzag horns, it is the most colorful of the hartebeests, and it copes well with long dry spells. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Topi
Damaliscus lunatus
In Namibia, the tsessebe lives only in the far northeast, in the Zambezi Region, the old Caprivi Strip, where floodplains along the Kwando, Linyanti and Chobe rivers connect with Botswana's Okavango and Chobe areas. Numbers are small, and the animals move across borders with the seasons. Parks such as Nkasa Rupara and Mudumu protect part of their habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Namibia's bushbucks live only in the wetter northeast, along the Kavango, Kwando, Chobe and Zambezi rivers of the Zambezi Region, with a few along the Kunene in the northwest. They are of the boldly spotted Chobe form and keep to dense riverine forest and reedbeds, often swimming between islands. The rest of Namibia is too dry and open for them. Leopards are their main predator, and males bark loudly when alarmed before dashing into the reeds. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
In Namibia the Nile crocodile is restricted to the permanent rivers of the north: the Okavango, Kwando, Linyanti and Zambezi in the northeast and the Kunene on the border with Angola. In such a dry country these rivers are lifelines for wildlife and people alike. The population is small, and crocodiles here face pressure from habitat disturbance and conflict with riverside communities. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Black Mamba
Dendroaspis polylepis
In Namibia, the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is most often found in the bushveld and rocky outcrops of the north and northeast, including the Kavango and Zambezi regions, and avoids the desert zones of the west and center. Its olive to gray body blends well with dry scrub and fallen branches. It plays an important role controlling rodents in Namibia's semi-arid ecosystems. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus
The bateleur is a resident of Namibia's northeastern bushveld and savanna, with its stronghold in the Kavango and Zambezi regions as well as Etosha National Park. It spends much of the day in the air, covering great distances in search of food with its distinctive tilting flight. Classified as Endangered by the IUCN, it is threatened by poisoning, power line collisions, and habitat degradation.
Blue Crane
Anthropoides paradiseus
Namibia holds the only blue crane population outside South Africa, a small and isolated group of about 60 birds that breeds in and around Etosha Pan in the north of the country. The cranes depend on the seasonal wetlands at the edge of the pan, and their numbers have been falling. Because the group is so small, each breeding pair matters, and the birds are monitored as part of Namibia's crane conservation work. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Grey Crowned Crane
Balearica regulorum
The Grey Crowned Crane reaches the southwestern edge of its range in Namibia, where it is found in the northeast, especially in the Caprivi Strip, known today as the Zambezi Region. This area's floodplains and wetlands connect to a broader network of habitats shared with Botswana and Zambia. The bird forages for seeds, insects, and small animals in open, waterlogged ground. Namibia's population is small, and the species is classified as Endangered globally.
Ostrich
Struthio camelus
Namibia holds some of southern Africa's strongest ostrich populations, particularly across the Namib Desert edges, the Kalahari, and Etosha National Park. Adapted to life in arid conditions, they extract moisture from the plants they eat and can endure intense heat for long stretches. Ostriches are also commercially farmed in Namibia, especially in the south. In the wild, they remain widespread and are listed as Least Concern.
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
Namibia's savannas and dry plains in the north and northeast receive steppe eagles during the austral summer, after their long flight from Central Asia. The country lies near the southern limit of the wintering range, so the birds are scarcer than farther north and numbers change from year to year. They are often seen in small groups at termite emergences after the rains, or at carcasses together with vultures and tawny eagles. IUCN status: Endangered.
White backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
In Namibia, the white backed vulture inhabits the northeastern savannas, particularly around Etosha National Park and the Caprivi Strip, where wildlife is most abundant. Communal conservancies have become increasingly important for its protection outside formal reserves. Critically endangered, this vulture depends on vast open landscapes to find food, and poisoning remains its most serious threat across the region.
Lanner Falcon
Falco biarmicus
The lanner falcon is well suited to Namibia's wide open landscapes, from the rocky escarpments of the central highlands to the edges of the Namib Desert. Pairs nest on cliff ledges and are territorial throughout the year. They hunt birds using coordinated, low pursuit flights. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, though electrocution on power lines poses a real risk across southern Africa.
Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
In Namibia, the tawny eagle lives in open savanna and thornbush, mainly in the north and east, including Etosha National Park, where it perches on dead trees. It has declined sharply in central Namibia: one study followed a population that fell from about 19 pairs to just 2, and all five young eagles fitted with radio tags were killed by strychnine baits set for predators. It nests in acacias. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Secretary Bird
Sagittarius serpentarius
Namibia's vast open savannas and thornbush plains provide good habitat for the secretary bird, particularly in the north and northeast of the country. It hunts on foot across dry grasslands, targeting venomous snakes and rodents. Large stick nests are built on flat-topped trees typical of Namibian bush. Despite suitable terrain, declining numbers linked to habitat loss have earned it Endangered status from the IUCN.
African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
The African fish eagle is the national bird of Namibia and lives near the country's permanent rivers and wetlands, mainly in the north and northeast. The Zambezi Region, with the Okavango, Zambezi, Chobe and Kwando rivers, holds the largest numbers, and the Orange River on the southern border also has pairs. In this mostly arid country it is limited to places with reliable water, and it even fishes along the desert coast. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Black browed Albatross
Thalassarche melanophris
The black browed albatross visits Namibian waters during the non-breeding season, supported by the cold, fish rich Benguela Current that runs along the southwestern African coast. These highly productive waters attract large numbers of seabirds from the Southern Ocean. Namibia's trawl and longline fisheries operating in the Benguela ecosystem present bycatch risks, and the country has been working toward better seabird conservation practices. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Cape Petrel
Daption capense
The Cape petrel is a regular winter visitor to Namibian waters, where the cold, nutrient-rich Benguela Current brings Southern Ocean seabirds far to the north. It is seen offshore, often in flocks behind fishing trawlers, together with albatrosses and other petrels. It does not breed in Namibia and is rarely seen from the shore, except during storms that push birds toward the coast. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found across Namibia in open savanna, farmland, and areas near towns and villages, particularly in the north and northeast where rainfall supports more productive habitat. It nests in old buildings, cliff faces, and hollow trees, and hunts rodents at night using its exceptional hearing. In Namibia's farming communities, particularly in the commercial and communal farmlands of the north, it is valued as a natural pest controller. It is less commonly encountered in the hyperarid Namib Desert along the coast.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
White storks arrive in Namibia during the austral summer, wintering across the northern and central parts of the country. They favor open grasslands, thornbush savanna, and farmland where food is easy to find. The species often gathers in large flocks, sometimes following locust swarms or foraging near waterholes. The IUCN lists the white stork as Least Concern, and Namibia plays a role in supporting its African wintering range.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Namibia's dramatic desert landscapes, including the cliffs of the Namib Desert and the rocky escarpments of the interior, provide ideal nesting sites for the peregrine falcon. Resident pairs breed on exposed cliff faces, while migrant birds from the northern hemisphere supplement the population during winter months. The species hunts shorebirds along the Skeleton Coast and doves and pigeons over inland areas. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Flamingo
Phoenicopteridae (6 species)
Namibia is one of the best countries in Africa for flamingos. The lesser flamingo lives there year round, and the greater flamingo breeds there. The lagoon at Walvis Bay hosts tens of thousands of both species, feeding right next to the town, and after good rains both breed on the vast Etosha Pan, where colonies of tens of thousands of pairs can form when the pan floods. IUCN status: greater flamingo Least Concern, lesser flamingo Near Threatened.
Fur Seal
Arctocephalus spp.
Namibia has the most famous fur seal colony in the world: Cape Cross, on the Skeleton Coast, where Cape fur seals crowd the rocks in huge numbers, with estimates of more than 200,000 in the breeding season, when pups are born in November and December. A boardwalk lets visitors watch them a few meters away. Boat trips from Walvis Bay also meet seals that climb aboard, and black backed jackals patrol the colonies for pups. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Humpbacks pass along the coast of Namibia every year between about June and November, on their migration between Antarctica and the breeding grounds of the Gulf of Guinea. They are seen regularly on boat trips from Walvis Bay, where they share the water with dolphins and seals, and off Lüderitz in the south. The cold Benguela Current makes this coast one of the richest seas of southern Africa. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Namibia has a small resident population of bottlenose dolphins of about a hundred animals, which live in the cold coastal waters around Walvis Bay and Swakopmund and are seen on almost every boat trip from Walvis Bay, together with seals and Heaviside's dolphins. The Namibian Dolphin Project has studied them for years. They are among the few bottlenose dolphins of such cold water. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .