Lions of the Skeleton Coast

Wednesday 18 September 2024

Uniab Delta

The “Torra lioness” Xpl-108 moved inland for several days, but returned to the Uniab Delta area. She captured and fed on several adult Cape fur seals along the coast between the Koigab and Uniab ephemeral drainage lines. The lioness also succeeded in subduing a gemsbok in the reeds at one of the Uniab Delta springs.

Xpl-108 at the mouth of the Uniab RiverXpl-108 at the mouth of the Uniab River


​Black-backed jackals waiting for the lioness Xpl-108 to leave the Cape fur seal she was feeding on.


Lioness Xpl-108 calling her young male cub along the coast south of Torra Bay.


Hoanib / Hoaruseb Movements

The interactions between the three “Orphan” lionesses and the young adult male “Opl-24” continued in the lower Hoanib area. The lioness “Alpha” Xpl-106 and her large female cub “Gamma” remains weary of the male and avoided him.

At the end of August 2024 two lionesses (Xpl-106 & 109) and the large female cub embarked on a remarkable marathon journey. They moved non-stop for 23 hours, covering 75 km through the dune-belt, until they killed an adult gemsbok in the reeds at the mouth of the Hoaruseb river. It is the first time that these two Orphan lionesses “Alpha” & “Bravo” returned to the Hoaruseb after an absence of two years, and it is the first visit for Xpl-106’s large cub “Gamma”.

The “Orphan” lionesses leaves the Floodplain on their 75km-trip to the Hoaruseb River.

The route traveled by the three lionesses from the Hoanib to the mouth of the Hoaruseb River during a 23-hour period.
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Lionesses reach the top of the dunes descending into the Hoaruseb River. Lionesses reach the top of the dunes descending into the Hoaruseb River.

The Orphan lionesses arrive in the Hoaruseb River during a sandstorm.

Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast. Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast.

Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast.​ Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast.

Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast. Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast.​

Images of the three Orphan lionesses moving along the Hoaruseb River towards the coast.

Three lionesses moves past Shipwreck Lodge and kills a gemsbok in the reed-beds a few hundred meters in front of the Lodge. Thermal imagery was used, to monitor the movements of the lions, guests and staff of Shipwreck Lodge, to ensure that conflict does not occur.


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Monitoring the movements of lions, guests, staff & a Cape fox at Shipwreck Lodge - as conflict prevention measure.

The “Orphan” lionesses moves past Shipwreck Lodge during the day, crossing over the dunes back into the Hoaruseb River, providing for stunning images.

The route travelled by the ”Orphan” lionesses, passing by Shipwreck Lodge.

Unique images of the three “Orphan” lionesses crossing over the dunes at Shipwreck Lodge at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River.​ Unique images of the three “Orphan” lionesses crossing over the dunes at Shipwreck Lodge at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River.

Unique images of the three “Orphan” lionesses crossing over the dunes at Shipwreck Lodge at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River.

Unique images of the three “Orphan” lionesses crossing over the dunes at Shipwreck Lodge at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River.​ Unique images of the three “Orphan” lionesses crossing over the dunes at Shipwreck Lodge at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River.
Unique images of the three “Orphan” lionesses crossing over the dunes at Shipwreck Lodge at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River.


The lionesses captured and consumed three adult gemsboks in the lower part of the Hoaruseb river before returning to the Hoanib Floodplain on 11 September 2024. When they reached the Floodplain, the lionesses encountered the male “Opl-24” and that caused the two adult lionesses to separate. Xpl-106 and her cub “Gamma” avoided the male and crossed the dune-belt to Oasis spring near the mouth of the Hoanib river.

Two days later Xpl-106 and her cub returned to the mouth of the Hoaruseb river to search for and hunt gemsboks in the reed-beds.

The route travelled by Xpl-106 and “Gamma” overnight to the mouth of the Hoaruseb River where the hunted a gemsbok.

Lionesses hunt and chase gemsboks at night in the Hoaruseb River.

Male elephant moves past the two “Orphan” lionesses in the lower part of the Hoaruseb River.

“Orphan lionesses hunt a gemsbok at Klein Oasis spring.

Lioness Xpl-106 “Alpha” and her large female cub “Gamma” captures an adult male gemsbok in the Hoaruseb River.​ Lioness Xpl-106 “Alpha” and her large female cub “Gamma” captures an adult male gemsbok in the Hoaruseb River.

Lioness Xpl-106 “Alpha” and her large female cub “Gamma” captures an adult male gemsbok in the Hoaruseb River.Lioness Xpl-106 “Alpha” and her large female cub “Gamma” captures an adult male gemsbok in the Hoaruseb River.