You don’t have to go all the way to the Arctic to see seals in their natural habitat. On the coast of Cape Cross in Namibia, the fur seals have encroached and colonised here.

A historic place

Cape Cross is where the very first European traveller landed in Namibia. Diego Cao was the first white man to set foot here and a cross marks the spot in remembrance of the king of Portugal at the time.

The fishing haven

Just north of the marked spot is a fishing spot with an abundance of marine live available. The fur seals have made this part of the beach their home.

The seals

You can spot the seals all year round. Bull seals come in large numbers in the month of October to mate with a harem of about 60 females. The pups are born in November or December.

David Siu from Memphis, TN, Arctocephalus pusillus -Cape Cross Reserve, Namibia-8CC BY 2.0

A walk by the shores

If you are staying at one of the hotels in Windhoek the likes of Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino, find out how to get here from the front desk. A stroll on the beach is the best way to observe the seal colony and other creatures that follow.