The richness and variety of wild animals in Tanzania is so great that, during your safari, you will feel like you are in the middle of a National Geographic documentary. And they are distributed throughout the different national parks of the country, so that each stage of your tour will offer you a new experience in which plant nature and fauna merge in a sustainable harmony. In the following lines, we list and give the keys to the wild animals of Tanzania that, for sure, will pass before your eyes (or your binoculars) during your trip.
The Big Five
This list with the main wild animals of Tanzania must start, of course, with the Big Five, known in the world as the Big Five. They have traditionally been called this because they are the five great “trophies” for hunting enthusiasts, but in an observation safari like the ones organized by our agency, they are also the five most impressive species to observe in the distance.
And all of them populate the most famous national park: the Serengeti. The first of them is the lion: it is estimated that in this reserve alone there are between 3,000 and 4,000 specimens. The species that lives here is the Masai lion, whose males develop a large mane, more spectacular as their age advances.
Another feline that makes an impression is the leopard, with its solitary and threatening behavior, which makes it an expert predator. The other three members of this select group can be considered natural prey of the previous ones. This is the case with the buffalo, a bovid herbivore that can become very aggressive and territorial. For its part, the rhinoceros is considered the most difficult of these Big Five to see, in worrying decline due to poaching.
And the last of this spectacular group is the elephant, which only represents prey for predators in the case of injured members or with some other special situation. In fact, they are huge animals that know how to defend themselves, especially when they are in a herd. And just seeing them up close is an unforgettable spectacle and emotion. In addition to their presence in the Serengeti, they are also very numerous in other reserves, such as the Tarangire National Park.
The other Four for the Big Nine
Many people expand the select group of the Big Five to nine to accommodate four other very representative species among the wild animals of Tanzania. And like the previous ones, they are well represented in the Serengeti National Park.
Very special is the cheetah, with its characteristic brown color with countless black spots and its peculiar “weary” gait that should not mislead us: this feline is the fastest animal on the face of the earth. The giraffes have a relatively similar color, considered by some as the “national animal” of Tanzania, which are usually presented in herds of up to 30 members. Zebras also live in large herds, each with a different stripe pattern to be recognized by its members. And the last of this Big Nine is the hippopotamus, always near bodies of water such as rivers or lakes, where they enter during the day and from which they leave at night to graze.
The Extraordinary Coexistence of the Ngorongoro Crater
Although the Serengeti National Park may be the most famous, the Ngorongoro Crater is perhaps the richest coexistence of species in the country. In this place, a huge inactive volcanic caldera that reaches 20 km in diameter, is home to some of the species already mentioned, but also many others, forming a rich fauna in sensitive balance.
In that fauna there are other predators. The hyena stands out, especially the striped species that, despite being very elusive, is usually easy to spot here. The jackal also plays an important role: due to its size, it focuses on small prey or feeds on carrion, contributing to the aforementioned ecological balance.
Other wild animals of Tanzania that can be seen here and in herds are the elands, a type of antelope whose horns cause authentic impression. And the same can be said of the wildebeest, which also star in one of the most breathtaking spectacles of nature: their great migration between November and December, when hundreds of thousands of specimens move to the south of the Serengeti.
The “Rare” Species of Tarangire
Although it is unfair and even incorrect to speak of “rare” species (all are, in some way), there is no doubt that one of the attractions of the Tarangire National Park is the presence of less common species in other parts of the country or the world.
That is the case of the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), an African antelope that surprises by the extraordinary spiral-curved horns of its males, while females are noticeably more graceful (320 kg they by 220 kg they). Very beautiful and photogenic is also the oryx beisa callotis, popularly known as the fringe-eared oryx, for this peculiar finish on them, making a pair of its two sharp horns. And fans of birdwatching will have an incentive here: spotting the ashy starling, one of the endemic species of the country.
Many other Species to Observe
The species that we have listed are not the only wild animals in Tanzania, far from it. You can spot many others both in the mentioned national parks and in the others that are distributed throughout the country (and that our circuits travel through), as is the case of the Arusha National Park, at hand in all our packages due to its proximity to the main airport in the country.
In this way, the list of candidates to appear in our safaris is greatly expanded. For example, with baboons, the most characteristic primate of Tanzania, especially the yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus), which will surely be heard with its strident sound and perhaps be seen by its displacement in herds and for being the primate that spends the most time on land.
It will also be interesting to track local wild boars, known as common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), which many will know how to recognize because it is the species of the famous character Pumba, from the movie The Lion King. And in fact, they are unmistakable, among other things, for their tusks, which they use for courtship, for example.
Waterbucks, also known as Serengeti antelopes for being closely associated with this reserve, will always be near water sources. And the Thomson’s gazelles (Eudorcas thomsonii), also numerous in the Serengeti, will arouse admiration for their graceful physiognomy and their elegant tricolor appearance: brown on the top, white on the bottom and a black band separating the two.
As you can see, there are many wild animals in Tanzania that can star in our safaris. And in all cases, we spot them following the necessary security measures, accompanied by experts who will not only know how to explain their most outstanding characteristics but also master other aspects such as positioning for ideal observation. Get in touch with us and start planning your trip today, which will become one of the most fascinating experiences of your life.
