Wildlife includes migrating herds of wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, gemsbok and springbok, plus predators like raptors and black-maned Kalahari lions. It is renowned as a cat sighting area, particularly lion and cheetah, but also leopard, serval and pretty African wild cats sitting high up in thorn trees.
The park’s arid landscape of red dunes and dry rivers, does not support elephant, rhino or buffalo. There are the scavengers, the three types of hyena- spotted, brown hyena and rarely, aardwolf, jackal plus birds of prey, and smaller wildlife such as the bat eared fox, cape fox, meerkat, ground squirrel, honey badger, yellow mongoose, leopard tortoises, nocturnal springhare even pangolin may be seen.
The park lists 59 mammal species. It is possible, but unusual to see porcupine, whistling rat, blue-headed tree agama, barking gecko and very rarely, wild dog.
Whilst you do not have the density of species that the Kruger has, less vegetation and given that some third of the animals are creatures of prey, this is exciting viewing.
Of the 292 bird species, 34 are raptors. Only 92 are resident and the balance migratory or vagrant. ” A variety of raptors may be seen, the commonest being Tawny and Black-breasted (chested) Snake Eagle, Bateleur, White-backed and Lappet-faced Vulture, as well as smaller species such as Pale Chanting Goshawk, Gabar Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon and Greater Kestrel.
Less common are Martial Eagle and Red-necked Falcon. Barn, Spotted and Verreaux’s (Giant) Eagle Owl are common, while Pearl-spotted Owlet, White-faced and African Scops-Owl may also be seen.
Larks and Sparrowlarks (Finchlarks) are abundant particularly after good rains which is also a good time to see seed-eaters such as Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-throated Canary, Shaft-tailed Whydah and Lark-like Bunting. You find huge colonies of sociable weavers and see the Pygmy Falcons that feed on them. Kori Bustard is common along both the Auob and Nossob riverbeds with Ludwig’s Bustard being relatively common during summer.” SanParks
Reptiles. You may well see the Cape Cobra and puff adders. Steer clear as South Africa is currently short of anti venom. You will see many lizards, the ground agama and fat bellied karasberg skink. At night you may be serenaded by the little barking gekos.