Karibu Tanzania

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Field guide

The wildlife of Tanzania

From the Big Five of the Serengeti to whale sharks off Mafia and monkeys found nowhere else on Earth. Find out what lives here, where to see it and when.

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Species profiled

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Showing 15 species in Mammals

African Lion
Big Five
VU

Big cats

African Lion

Panthera leo

The largest social cat, living in prides and ruling the Serengeti plains.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +7 more

Leopard
Big Five
VU

Big cats

Leopard

Panthera pardus

A solitary, powerful climber that hides its kills in trees.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +7 more

African Elephant
Big Five
EN

Elephants

African Elephant

Loxodonta africana

The largest land animal on Earth, living in family herds led by a matriarch.

Tarangire, Nyerere +7 more

African Buffalo
Big Five
NT

Bovids

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

A heavy, dangerous grazer that lives in herds of hundreds.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +7 more

Cheetah
VU

Big cats

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

The fastest land animal, hunting by day on open plains.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +2 more

Masai Giraffe
EN

Ungulates

Masai Giraffe

Giraffa tippelskirchi

The tallest animal on Earth, and Tanzania's national animal.

Serengeti, Tarangire +7 more

African Wild Dog
EN

Carnivores

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus

A rare, highly social painted hunter that runs down prey in packs.

Nyerere, Ruaha +2 more

Spotted Hyena
LC

Carnivores

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

A clever, powerful clan hunter with a famous laugh-like call.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +5 more

Plains Zebra
NT

Ungulates

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

A striped grazer that leads the Great Migration alongside wildebeest.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +6 more

Hippopotamus
VU

Ungulates

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

A huge, semi-aquatic grazer that spends the day in water and feeds at night.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +6 more

Impala
LC

Antelopes

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

A graceful antelope, common in herds, known for high jumps.

Serengeti, Tarangire +5 more

Greater Kudu
LC

Antelopes

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

A tall antelope with corkscrew horns and white body stripes.

Ruaha, Tarangire +1 more

Sable Antelope
LC

Antelopes

Sable Antelope

Hippotragus niger

A handsome black antelope with long, curved horns.

Nyerere, Ruaha +2 more

Waterbuck
LC

Antelopes

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

A shaggy antelope with a white ring on its rump, never far from water.

Tarangire, Lake Manyara +3 more

Common Warthog
LC

Ungulates

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

A tusked, bristly grazer that trots away with its tail straight up.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +6 more

Conservation categories follow the IUCN Red List and can change as new assessments are published. Where and when you see a species depends on the season, the weather and luck: wildlife is wild, and we never promise a sighting.

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