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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Places to see them

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Showing 29 species

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

Black Rhinoceros
Big Five
CR

Rhinos

Black Rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

A rare, shy browser and the most endangered of the Big Five.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti +1 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

Lilac-breasted Roller
LC

Rollers

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

A brilliant, multicoloured bird that perches on bushes along the roadside.

Serengeti, Tarangire +5 more

Nile Crocodile
LC

Crocodilians

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

A huge ambush predator that waits at the river crossing.

Serengeti, Saadani +4 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

Sable Antelope
LC

Antelopes

Sable Antelope

Hippotragus niger

A handsome black antelope with long, curved horns.

Nyerere, Ruaha +2 more

Topi
LC

Antelopes

Topi

Damaliscus lunatus jimela

A glossy, purplish antelope that stands on termite mounds as a lookout.

Serengeti, Saadani +1 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

Black-backed Jackal
LC

Carnivores

Black-backed Jackal

Lupulella mesomelas

A clever, opportunistic scavenger and hunter, often in pairs.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +4 more

Honey Badger
LC

Carnivores

Honey Badger

Mellivora capensis

A fearless, tough little carnivore with a reputation for taking on lions.

Serengeti, Tarangire +1 more

African Fish Eagle
LC

Raptors

African Fish Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

A white-headed eagle whose ringing call is the sound of the African waterway.

Nyerere, Serengeti +5 more

Saddle-billed Stork
LC

Waterbirds

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

A tall wader with a striking red, black and yellow bill.

Nyerere, Serengeti +3 more

Southern Ground Hornbill
VU

Hornbills

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

A huge black bird with red facial skin that walks through the savannah in groups.

Nyerere, Serengeti +2 more

Marabou Stork
LC

Waterbirds

Marabou Stork

Leptoptilos crumenifer

A huge, bare-headed stork that scavenges alongside vultures.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +3 more

Nile Monitor
LC

Lizards

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

A large, strong-swimming lizard often seen beside water.

Serengeti, Lake Manyara +4 more

Leopard Tortoise
LC

Tortoises

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

A patterned, slow-walking tortoise of dry savannah.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area +2 more

Black Mamba
LC

Snakes

Black Mamba

Dendroaspis polylepis

Africa's fastest snake, shy but highly venomous.

Saadani, Nyerere +2 more

African Rock Python
LC

Snakes

African Rock Python

Python sebae

Africa's largest snake, a non-venomous constrictor.

Tarangire, Saadani +2 more

Sausage Tree
LC

Trees

Sausage Tree

Kigelia africana

A big tree that hangs sausage-shaped fruit as long as a person's arm.

Serengeti, Saadani +3 more

African Blackwood (Mpingo)
NT

Trees

African Blackwood (Mpingo)

Dalbergia melanoxylon

A slow-growing, very dense tree used for clarinets and carvings.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Nyerere +2 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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