NACOMA - Namibian Coast Conservation and Management Project

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Fauna & Flora

The Atlantic coast, offshore islands, coastal wetlands, coastal dunes and plains contain many endemic animals, breeding bird colonies, specialised fog-dependent lichens and vegetation, succulent flora, reptiles etc.
The coastal zone counts:
- A total of 205 seaweed species has been collected in Namibian waters.
- Just over 400 plant species occur in the Central Namib - making up to 10% of the flora of the    country, the Northern Namib supports approximately 100 to 200 plant species and the Southern    Namib is home to well over 600 species of plants (a global biodiversity hotspot)..
- About 410 species of bony fish and 83 species of cartilaginous fish are thought to occur in    Namibian waters. Of these, 91 species and 30 species respectively have been recorded in    depths of less than 30m.
- Of the 8 species of sea turtles worldwide, 5 occur in Namibia. Most are considered endangered    and are protected under the Sea Fisheries Act and international agreement.
- Of the 62 species of seabirds recorded in Namibian waters, 20 are only rare vagrants. Twelve    species breed along the Namibian coast in particular on offshore islands and man-made    plateforms. These include the endangered African Penguin, African Black Oystercatcher and the    rare breeding endemic Damara Tern.
- Marine Mammals represented in Namibian waters include cetaceans and seals. Of the 11    species of baleen whales worldwide, 8 occur off Namibia, while 23 species of dolphins and    toothed whales can be found.

In this section, we present you the fauna and flora that you can easily see on the coast or near shore.

Fauna

Common species

Common name: Avocet - © P. Cardwell
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour, Orange River and Kunene River Mouth.
When?
All the year however they peak in winter months.

Common name: Black-backed Jackal - © R. Braby
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline in particular near seal colonies.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Black Neck Grebe - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour, Orange River and Kunene River Mouth.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Bottlenose Dolphin - © N. Dreyer
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the nearshore, mainly between Sandwich Harbour and Cape Cross.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Brown Hyena - © C. Grobler
Where they occur?
In the Namib and Kalahari desert and in the coastline where there are seal colonies.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Cape Cormorant - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coast. They breed on islands and man-made platforms.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Cape Fur Seal - © DLIST
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline and the most known colonies are Cape Cross and Pelican Point.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Cape Teal - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour, Orange River and Kunene River Mouth.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Curlew Sandpiper - © DLIST
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour, Orange River and Kunene River Mouth.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Wheeling Spider/Sand Dwelling Spider known as Dancing White Lady - © C. Nel
Where they occur?
In the Namib desert dunes.
When?
All the year in particular at night.

Common name: Desert Adapted Lion
Where they occur?
In the Skeleton coast park - Northern Namibia.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Fitzsimons Burrowing Skink - © C. Nel
Where they occur?
In the Namib desert sand dunes, especially on the slip-faces.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Gerbil - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline.
When?
All the year in particular at night.

Common name: Ghost Crab - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
In the Skeleton Coast Park - Northern Namibia.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Greater Flamingo - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour and on the beach close to Walvis Bay.
When?
All the year except when there is water in Etosha Pan, all flamingos go there for breeding and come back after.

Common name: Grey Heron - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour, Orange River and Kunene River Mouth.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Hartlaub's Gull - © A. Scott
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Kelp Gull - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Lesser Flamingo - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour.
When?
All the year around, leave en mass after rains in Etosha or Botswana Magadigadi.

Common name: Mola Mola or Moon Fish - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In Walvis Bay Lagoon.
When?
All the year but it is more easy to see Mola mola in summer. As the water is warmer they come to the surface.

Common name: Little White Egret - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop river mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Rock Lobster - © C. Grobler
Where they occur?
In the Southern and Central Namibian coast.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Sidewinder - © C. Nel
Where they occur?
In the Namib desert sand dunes.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Shovel Snouted Lizzard - © C. Nel
Where they occur?
In the Namib desert unstable sand dunes.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Swift Tern - © J. Kemper
Where they occur?
In the Central and Southern Namibian coast in particular on islands.
When?
Between September and April for the breeding season.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Fog Basking Beetles or Tenebrionid Beetle - © R. Braby
Where they occur?
In the Namib desert dunes.
When?
All the year in particular at night or early in the morning.

Common name: Three-Banded Plover © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In the coastal wetlands like Swakop River Mouth, Walvis Bay Lagoon, Sandwich Harbour, Orange River and Kunene River Mouth.
When?
.All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Web Footed or Palmato Gecko - © C. Nel
Where they occur?
In the Namib desert sand dunes and surrounds.
When?
All the year but in particular at night when they feed.

Common name: White breasted Cormorant - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coast.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Whitefronted Plover - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coast.
When?
All the year.

Endangered species

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: African Black Oystercatcher - © J. Kemper
Where they occur?
In the Southern and Central Namibian Coast in particuler on rocky shore.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: African Penguin - © J. Kemper
Where they occur?
In the Southern Islands.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Bank Cormorant - © T. Reinikainen
Where they occur?
In the Southern Islands.
When?

Endemic to the Benguela current

Common name: Benguela or Heaviside Dolphin - © N. Dreyer
Where they occur?
Everywhere in Namibian waters. They are rarely in the near shore.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Cape Gannet - © DLIST
Where they occur?
In the Southern Islands and in Sandwich Harbour.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Caspian tern - © DLIST
Where they occur?
In Walvis Bay Lagoon and Sandwich Harbour.
When?
Between September and April for the breeding season.

Common name: Chesnut Banded Plover - © K. Wearne
Where they occur?
In coastal wetlands.
When?
All the year.

Breeding endemic to Namibia

Common name: Damara Tern - © R. Braby
Where they occur?
In particular in Central Namibia, in the dune belt between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
When?
Between September and April for the breeding season.

Common name: Greater White Pelican - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
In Central Namibia in particular in Walvis Bay Lagoon and Sandwich Harbour.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Green Turtle - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
In the Kunene River Mouth.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Humpback Whale
Where they occur?
When?
Between July and November on their way to or back from Angola where they breed and mate.

Common name: Leatherback Turtle
Where they occur?
They come in Namibia to feed on jelly fish. They are very common around Walvis Bay.
When?
All the year.

Endemic to Namibia and South-Africa

Common name: Namaqua Chameleon or Lone Rangers - © C. Nel
Where they occur?
In arid areas in particular in sandy and gravel plains but often entering the dunes areas.
When?
All the year.

Common name: Southern Right Whale - © PB. Brest
Where they occur?
In Southern Namibian coast and in Walvis Bay Lagoon (around Pelican Point).
When?
Between July and November for the breeding season.

Back to the top

Flora

Common species

Endemic to Namib Desert

Common name: Coastal Pelargonium - © A. Burke
Where they occur?
Southern Namib. It only grows in rocky habitats.

Common name: Crustose Lichens / Caloplaca eligantisima - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
Central Namibia.

Common name: Crustose Lichens / Lecidella species - © P. Tarr
Where they occur?
Central Namib.

Endemic to Namib Desert

Common name: Didelta Carnosa - © A. Burke
Where they occur?
From Lüderitz to Northern Cape. It grows on sandy plains or rocky areas.

Endemic to Namib Desert

Common name: Dollar Bush - © R. Braby
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline in the fog belt. It grows only on gravel plains.

Endemic to Namib Desert

Common name: Dune Bushman-grass - © A. Burke
Where they occur?
In dune fiedls of the Namib desert and strictly confined to mobile dunes.

Common name: Foliose Lichens / Xanthomaculina species - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
Central Namib.

Common name: Kelp - © DLIST
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coast.

Common name: Kuntze's brownanthus - © A. Burke
Where they occur?
From south of Walvis Bay to Southern Angola. It grows exclisively on sandy habitats.

Common name: Lithops rushiorium - © R. Braby
Where they occur?
In the Central and Northern Namib.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Nara! Melon - © DLIST
Where they occur?
In the dunes in particular in Central and Northern Namibia.

Common name: Pencil Bush - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
Everywhere along the coastline in the fog belt. It grows only on gravel plains. This species is able to reverse transpiration absorbing water through the leaves and transporting it down to the roots.

Common name: Rock Button Plant - © A. Burke
Where they occur?
Between Lüderitz and Northern Cape. It grows in rocky habitats.

Endangered species

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Window Plant or Fenestraria - © S. Rothmann
Where they occur?
In the Southern Namib. It grows mainly on sandy plain habitat but is occasionnaly found on gravel plains.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Lichen - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
You will see it in particular on the road between Swakopmund and Henties Bay, close to Woltskasbaken.

Endemic to Southern Africa

Common name: Lithops rushiorium - © R. Braby
Where they occur?
In the Southern Namib.

Endemic to Namibia

Common name: Welwitschia Mirabilis - © N. Cadot
Where they occur?
From the Kuiseb River into southern Angola. They grow on gravel plains.

For more information about the Namibian coastal fauna and flora, consult the following websites/documents:

- For seabirds: Avian Demographic Unit of the University of Cape Town: http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/stats/adu/seabirds.htm

- For African Penguin:
Southern African Foundation for the conservation of coastal birds: http://www.sanccob.co.za
International Penguin Conservation Work Group: http://www.penguins.cl

- For fishes:
The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative: http://www.panda.org.za/sassi/database/index.html

- For Desert Adapted Lion:
Desert lion project: http://www.desertlion.info

- For Brown Hyena:
Brown Hyena research project: http://www.strandwolf.org.za

- For the downloading the Red Data Book of Namibian Plants:
SABONET - Southern African Botanical Diversity Network: http://www.sabonet.org.za/reports/publications_report38.htm

- For coastal and marine birds: Namibia Coastal and Marine working group: Ann and Mike Scott at ecoserve@iway.na / 064-404-866