Animals in Queen Elizabeth National Park : Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in Kasese district in southern Uganda it is the second largest national park with the big 4 animals it was formerly called Kazinga National Park and it re named Queen Elizabeth National Park after the visitor of Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth National Park is rich biodiversity area it has over 95 mammals, 600 birds and 10 primate species. Here are some of the notable wildlife species you can find in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Hippos
Queen Elizabeth national is one of Uganda’s national parks with largest number of hippos there are 5000 hippos and the hippos are one of the dangerous animals they are ever in water and they only graze at night, but during day they can only been in water.
Lions
The tree climbing lions of lshasha and kasenyi plains these are unique unlike others lions which prefer staying on ground the ones of Queen Elizabeth National Park are unique though the reason behind the unusual behaviour of climbing trees is not clear.
Elephants
Queen Elizabeth national park provides a suitable habitat for over 2500 elephants, offering arrange of eco system, elephants can be seen in the plains of kasenyi, kicwamba, on the shores of kazinga channel and in mweya peninsula those are the places where you can come in close contact with elephants.
Leopards
These are elusive and solitary creatures they are Nocturnals, they are most active during night and early in the morning. Leopards in queen Elizabeth can be spotted in kasenyi and some in mweya around the student’s hostel; to see the leopards you must be having a guide because the guides be knowing where they are by use of the trucking device.
Buffaloes
Buffaloes are the most dangerous animals because are also referred to as lion killers so they are feared by every animal and they are over 10000 buffaloes they live in big herds and they are always led by a dominant male and the ones that have been kicked out are always spotted in defensive positions across savannah and they can be seen during the game drives.
Antelopes
The savannah in queen Elizabeth national park they are perfect habitants for antelopes and mostly in kasenyi plains and katungulu near Kikorongo and the antelopes in Queen Elizabeth national park include Uganda Kob, waterbucks, bushbucks oribi, Topi found in lshasha and many more.
Warthogs
These are found in almost every part of the park but especially in mweya peninsula and they are believed to be the dense animals among the wild animals, warthogs are like bush pigs so don’t mistake the two.
There are other things to encounter while in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Reptiles
Queen Elizabeth National Park has over 35 reptile species and these include the Nile crocodiles which regularly sunbath along kazinga channel shores, monitor lizards, tortoise, pythons.
Birds
Queen Elizabeth national park is a birders haven with all kinds of birds which include the resident birds and migratory birds and some of these birds include Hadada lbis, papyrus Gonolek, white pelicans, African broadbill, flamingos, cattle egrets and many more. Birding in Queen Elizabeth national park will give you the best experience birding it is done in different areas in the park but the best part with amazing birds its kazinga channel.
Trucking the mongoose
Mongoose trucking it is another interesting activity to do in queen Elizabeth and it done from mweya peninsula where some of the mongooses are habituated and others are not.
Vegetation
Queen Elizabeth national park has 5 types of vegetation which blend to make a stunning vegetation cover and the biggest part is occupied by savannah grassland vegetation mostly seen in kasenyi plains and lshasha and during the dry season this grass turns into gold and predators hide their because they keep camouflaging while hunting, then the forest vegetation found in maramagambo forest and kyambura gorge.
Mice and rats
There are fired rats stripped grass mouse, un stripped grass mouth and common rat pouched mouse and these can be spotted while on a game drive.
Best time to visit Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park can be visited through out the year but the best time is during the dry season because it is when the roads are dry because the roads in Queen Elizabeth national park are slippery and muddy during the dry season like in lsasha sector it is hard to access it during the wet season though to see the migrating birds well like the flamingos it is better you visit the park in wet season.
Where to stay while in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth has a variety of accommodation choices where you can stay while your on your Uganda wild safari and these range from luxury mid-range and budget accommodation and these include mweya safari lodge, elegant lodge, lshasha wilderness camp lodge, kyambura lodge , buffalo safari lodge, twin lakes lodge, elephant hub lodge you can choose where to stay according to your budget.
