Wildlife In Tanzania 

Wildlife In Tanzania :Tanzania is an East African country. It is bounded to the north by Uganda, to the east by the Indian Ocean, and to the west by Rwanda. Tanzania’s terrain consists of savannahs, wetlands, grassland plains, and forested forests. The climate in the mountains can range from hot in the plains to cool and temperate in the plains. It is home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Lake Tanganyika, the world’s second-deepest lake.

 Tanzania is home to cheetahs, lions, wildebeests, gazelles, ostriches, elephants, and giraffes. Tanzania has the most predators in Africa, including leopards, jackals, hyenas, and big cats. Agama lizards and crocodiles are examples of reptiles in Tanzania.

WILDLIFE IN TANZANIA AT A GLANCE

The establishment of 22 national parks has resulted in the protection of a full third of Tanzania’s land area. Due to this, the nation is ideal for safaris and wildlife viewing. At least 20% of Africa’s large mammal population is dispersed across reserves, conservation areas, and marine parks in Tanzania thanks to this enormous amount of protected land.

Tanzania is well-known for its rich biodiversity, numerous big cat populations, and the annual Great Migration. Chimpanzee trekking is another well-liked activity in Tanzania, and scuba divers love it there for the crystal-clear waters and diverse marine life of Zanzibar.

WILDLIFE IN TANZANIA

The Big Five

Tanzania is home to the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinoceroses. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Areas are home to all five. The black rhino is the least common of the five, though it does exist in the Serengeti and Selous Game Reserves. However, the Ngorongoro Crater is the best place to see them.

 In Tanzania, especially in Tarangire National Park, where elephant herds outnumber people, there are plenty of elephants and water buffalo. With prides of up to 60 lions living in some Serengeti regions, the lion is also relatively widespread in Tanzania. Although they are less frequent than lions, leopards can still be seen in Arusha National Park.

Big Cats and Predators

Along with servals, caracals, and the elusive golden cat in Ngorongoro, other cats include lions, leopards, and hyenas. Except for Lake Manyara, most of the northern parks are home to cheetahs. Visit Ruaha National Park for the best opportunity to spot cheetahs.

 Numerous jackal species, honey badgers, rock hyrax, the endangered bat-eared fox, spotted and striped hyenas, and the last of Africa’s wild dogs can all be found in Tanzania. Other carnivores include several species of hyena, jackal, honey badger, rock hyrax, and the rare bat-eared fox.

serengeti leopards

Safari Game

Roan antelope, sable, mongoose, impala, kudu, topis, hartebeest (in Tarangire Park), eland, bushbuck, the spiral-horned cattle, Oryx, Kirk’s dik-dik, and giraffe are among the animals you might see on a Tanzania safari. The Serengeti or Tarangire National Parks offer the best opportunities for wildlife viewing, where the vast and open plains enable you to observe multiple herds grazing simultaneously.

Tanzania has abundant water because of its monsoon season (relatively speaking). This means that, while crocodiles and hippos can be found in most parks, Katavi National Park is particularly home to them. The waterbuck, sitatunga, and common warthog can also be found in Tanzania.

The Great Migration

One of the most amazing wildlife events in the world is the Great Migration. Hundreds of herds of wildebeest, zebra, and Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles are seen moving through the Serengeti in search of fresh grasslands and water. Predatory cheetahs, lions, and leopards follow in their wake. After the wet season, wildebeest give birth to more than 8,000 calves every day, giving birth to half a million calves in a single week.

Then they start their perilous journey across the Serengeti, covering 2,000 miles, to the lush fields of the Maasai Mara in Kenya. The vast columns of wildebeest that follow them serve as food for the predators, felines, and raptors that sustain the entire Serengeti ecosystem.

Bird Life

Tanzania is home to over 1,000 different bird species, some of which are unique to the nation, such as the Usambara weaver, Pemba green pigeon, and Udzungwa eagle owl. Tanzania is home to ostriches, avocets, bitterns, shags, herons, ibises, jacanas, kingfishers, plovers, sandpipers, and snipes. Numerous raptors also exist, including falcons, babblers, bee-eaters, bulbuls, canaries, crows, and francolins.

The vibrant turaco and trogan can be found in Arusha National Park. Over 200 different bird species, including the fish eagle and red-throated twinspot, can be found in Gombe National Park. The endangered blue swallow, mountain marsh widow, Kipengere seedeater, Denham’s bustard, and Njombe Cisticola can all be found in Kitulo National Park.

There are over 400 different species of birds in Lake Manyara, including cormorants, storks, and pelicans, making it a popular destination for bird watchers. You can see the bateleur eagle, the yellow-throated strong claw, and the lilac-breasted roller in Mikumi National Park.

 The yellow-collared lovebird and the ashy starling can be found in Ruaha, which is home to over 150 different bird species. Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Lake Manyara are just a few of Tanzania’s alkaline lakes where flamingos can be found.

Primates

The best place to experience Jane Goodall (where she spent more than 50 years advancing scientific knowledge of human evolution) is in Gombe National Park in the Mahale Mountains. You can hike up through the rainforest to Gombe, where you can spend an hour sitting and observing chimpanzees and their social interactions. There are also other primates present, such as vervet, and bush baby monkeys.

Rubondo Island in Lake Victoria offers chimpanzee habituation experiences as well. Baboons and blue monkeys, which are found in Gombe and the Mahale Mountains, are among the other primates in the nation. Colobus monkeys can also be seen at the Grumeti River in the Serengeti. The Sanje mangabey and Udzungwa red colobus are two uncommon monkeys found in Udzungwa Mountains National Park.

Marine Life

Dolphins and whale sharks can be seen in the waters near Tanzania and the Zanzibar archipelago. On Mnemba and Pemba Islands, as well as in Saadani National Park, green turtles also lay their eggs. Due to the variety of life, the clarity of the water, and the robust coral reefs, Zanzibar is one of the most popular scuba diving locations in the world.

Tanzania has a number of large, protected lakes that are home to both marine life and abundant fish populations. Over 1,000 different fish species can be found in Lake Tanganyika. The lake is a hotspot for biodiversity and is best known for its cichlids because of its age and isolation. Nile Perch and tilapia have designated breeding grounds in Rubondo Island National Park.

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT TANZANIA FOR WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS

Tanzania’s extended dry season lasts from June to October. Since the grass is short during these months, it is easier to see the animals. Visit during the wet season (October to December and March to May) to take advantage of the stunning scenery and lower lodging costs, but be aware that wildlife sightings may not be as good and that activities may be canceled at the last minute due to sudden, heavy rains.