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Namibia Wildlife
Find out about the variety of wildlife we can see and photograph on Will Gray's Namibia Photography Tour – from the big game of Etosha and the Kalahari to marine wildlife and desert lizards along the coast. Scroll down to view a gallery of images...
Black rhino
One of two rhino species found in Namibia, the black rhino has a hook-shaped lip (for browsing), whereas the white rhino has a wide, or flat, lip for grazing. This individual was photographed in Etosha National Park (300mm, 1/2500s).
African elephant
The waterholes in Etosha National Park are a magnet to herds of elephants and we should see them drinking and bathing – a great opportunity for behavioural shots. Here, three youngsters attempt to master the use of their trunks (600mm, 1/400s).
Desert elephant
Desert-dwelling elephants are the same species as bush elephants, but have adapted to live in the harsh arid areas of northwest Namibia. We hope to see them on a game drive in one of the ephemeral rivers of Damaraland (320mm, 1/640s).
Leopard
Rarely photographed, this ususual image shows a young male leopard play-fighting with his mother. Although they are widespread in Namibia, their secretive nature and superb camouflage makes leopards notoriously difficult to spot (600mm. 1/500s)
Black-backed jackal
Spare ribs from a lion kill in Etosha National Park provide rich pickings for this scavenging jackal. We should also see black-backed jackals at Walvis Bay where a resident pack patrols the seal colonies at Pelican Point where we go sea kayaking (500mm, 1/3200s).
Angolan giraffe
A subspecies of the southern giraffe, the Angolan giraffe is well-adapted to the arid savannahs of Etosha National Park – and we should also see them in the Kalahari Desert during our game drive at Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch (300mm, 1/1000s).
Plains zebra
Commonly seen in Etosha National Park, large herds of zebra gather at waterholes, often mingling with springbok. We'll hopefully encounter the rarer Hartmann's mountain zebra in the rocky hills surrounding Duwisib Guest Farm (500mm, 1/2,000s).
Gemsbok (Oryx)
This large antelope is endemic to the dry regions of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. We will see them in the Kalahari and Namib deserts, as well as Etosha. That dream shot of one of them scaling a giant sand dune is always a possibility (300mm, 1/8000s).
Springbok
This could well be the first wild animal you spot in Namibia. Often found in large herds, they prefer dry, open areas and are known for their 'pronking' – a stiff-legged leap – when excited or alarmed. Scuffles between males also make good images (500mm, 1/600mm).
Cape fur seal
Pelican Point – the location near Walvis Bay for our sea kayaking excursion – is home to a resident colony of some 50,000 Cape fur seals. Pups are born in November and December. Inquisitive youngsters come right up to our kayaks (300mm, 1/400s).
Rock hyrax
Also known as dassies, these marmot-like mammals are common in rocky outcrops in the Quiver Tree Forest and throughout Damaraland. They urinate in communal areas, streaking the rust-coloured rocks with distinctive white stripes (500mm, 1/1000s).
Ostrich
Common throughout Namibia, this family of ostriches was photographed in Etosha National Park on a hot day in November when the male (left) provided vital shade for the pair's chicks. Courtship displays take place near the end of the dry season (450mm, 1/320s).
Secretary bird
This striking bird of prey spends most of its time on the ground, strutting the savannahs on the lookout for insects, lizards and snakes, which it will often stomp on to kill. It gets its name from the quill-like feathers at the top of the bird's neck (600mm, 1/4000s).
Kori bustard
Africa's largest flying bird, the kori bustard can weigh up to 18kg and, although it has a wingspan of up to 2.75m, it is more commonly seen walking across the plains. They mainly feed on locusts, grasshoppers and dung beetles (600mm, 1/1000s).
Lesser flamingo
A small resident population of lesser flamingos can be found on the mudflats of Walvis Bay – their numbers swollen by migrant birds during the summer to over 15,000. The paler greater flamingo can also be seen in smaller numbers (95mm, 1/50s).
Pale chanting goshawk
This striking raptor can often be spotted perched on roadside telephone poles, or on top of trees, on the lookout for prey such as small mammals, lizards, and birds. Keep your camera ready (ideally with pre-capture) to shoot the moment it takes flight (500mm, 1/2500s).
Tractrac chat
We'll see pairs of this endearing bird on our Living Deserts tour in the coastal Dorob National Park. They mate for life and have a habit of hovering above the ground looking for food, such as locusts and ants – a great opportunity for high-speed photos (300mm, 1/5000s).
Red-billed quelea
A small, sparrow-like bird of the weaver family, red-billed queleas are seed-feeders and can form huge, pulsating flocks swirling above the grasslands. Populations are thought to peak at a mind-boggling 1.5 billion individuals (435mm, 1/4000s).
Sociable weaver
Breeding throughout the year, these industrious birds build huge, haystack-like communal nests – large enough for over 100 pairs of birds. Central chambers are used for nighttime roosting, while outer 'rooms' are used for daytime shade (500mm, 1/8000s).
Peringuey's desert adder
Also known as the sidewinding adder (due to its S-shaped movement across the dunes), this small snake (20-25cm) can be seen on our Living Desert tour. Often just the eyes are visible above the sand – but our guides at expert at finding them (500mm, 1/5000s).
Namaqua chameleon
Reaching up to 25cm in length, this ground-dwelling chameleon requires a sharp eye to spot – its camouflage is superb. They specialise in catching tenebrionid (dune) beetles. Shots like this are possible with your smartphone (236mm, 1/8000s).
Namib web-footed gecko
Everyone's favourite minibeast on the Living Desert tour, this lizard is about 13cm in length and is almost translucent – hence its nickname of 'Haribo gecko'. A nocturnal, burrow-dwelling species, our guides are adept at finding them first thing in the morning (iPhone 14 Pro).
Namib Rock Agama
Popping up throughout our trip, only the male of this dimorphic species has the striking blue and orange colouration (the females are flecked brown, grey and yellow). Males court females by head-bobbing and running very quickly over boulders (600mm, 1/2500s).
Wheel spider
Renowned for curling up its legs and cartwheeling down dunes to escape wasps, the wheel spider (body length 20mm) is smaller than the dancing white lady spider which is also found in the coastal dunes of the Namib Desert (iPhone 14 Pro).
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