Wildlife of Tanzania : Tanzania is a country which is famous for wildlife viewing and over 20 percent of the animal population in Africa is found in the country. The big five are among the wildlife species which can be seen during a safari around Tanzania and they include elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos. The big 5 in Tanzania can be seen in different destinations such as in Serengeti national park, the Ngorongoro conservation area, Nyerere national park and also in Ruaha national park. While some of the destinations in Tanzania have all the big 5, others only have some of the big 5.
In Tanzania, there are also many predators which can be seen during a safari. When driving around the national parks, you may spot the predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs among others hunting. Most of the predators are active at night but can also be seen during the day time as they move around the grass plains or hide in the woodlands and for tree climbing lions, you can spot them in the tree branches where leopards are also known to hide.
Wildlife species which can be seen around Tanzania include rhinos, elephants, wildebeests, zebras, hippos, gazelles, lions, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, colobus monkeys, baboons, hartebeests, impalas, kudu, dik dik duikers, gerenuks, giraffes among others. Some of the animals are herbivores while others are carnivores.
About a third of Tanzania is made up of protected areas with diversity in flora and fauna, scenic landscapes, numerous cultures and so much more. Tanzania is part of the East African countries and it is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Congo, Rwanda and Burundi to the west and to the south is Malawi and Mozambique.
Tanzania is also known for the great wildebeest migration which takes place across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. This migration is among the natural wonders and is also the largest animal migration in the world which involves movement of over 2 million wildebeests annually. During the wildebeest migration in Tanzania, the wildebeest herds can be seen across different parts of Serengeti national park including the north, west and central and also in the Ndutu area. The migration also takes place in the Masai Mara reserve Kenya.
These wildlife species which can be seen during tours around Tanzania are found in the different habitats in the wildlife viewing destinations. Some wildlife species live in the savannah areas while others can be found in the woodland parts of the national park.
During safaris around Tanzania in search of wildlife species, safaris can be done in different parts of the country including the north, south, central and western parts of the country. Some of the national parks in Tanzania are more remote and a little difficult to access as compared to others.
Tanzania has over 17 national parks and there are also reserves found around the country. Primate tours can also be done when in Tanzania in places such as Gombe national park which is found along the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
Places in Tanzania where wildlife species can be spotted during safaris include Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park, the Ngorongoro crater, Nyerere national park, Lake Manyara national park, Arusha national park, Ruaha national park, Katavi national park, Mikumi national park, Gombe national park and many others.
The northern part of Tanzania is preferred by most tourists as compared to the southern parks of Tanzania during wildlife viewing experiences around the country. For a more secluded kind of safari experience in Tanzania, the southern parks of Tanzania are preferred and they offer off the track wildlife viewing experiences and also guided nature walks among other activities.
The national animal of Tanzania is a giraffe and the type of giraffes which can be seen during safaris around Tanzania are the Masai giraffes. There are over 40,000 giraffes which can be seen in different parts of the country.
Even in the tropical Zanzibar Island you can be able to encounter the rare red colobus monkeys which are found in the Jozani forest reserve. This beautiful island is also a good place for holidays and beach getaways.
Wildlife viewing around Tanzania can be done at any time of the year and the best time to see the wildlife species is during the dry season from June, July, August, September and October and also in December and January.
Although some of the wildlife species have been poached over the years, many efforts are put in place to promote wildlife conservation around Tanzania. National parks around the country are managed by Tanzania National Park’s Authority (TANAPA) which promotes conservation across the national parks.
Different safari packages to Tanzania are organized throughout the year for a chance to see the wildlife species during safaris. These safari packages can be for group tours or for private or individual safaris.
During wildlife viewing in Tanzania a number of activities can be carried out such as game drives in the morning, afternoon or evening and also in the night in some destinations. There is also guided nature walks carried out during tours around Tanzania. Hot air balloon safaris are also part of the wildlife safari experience when visiting Tanzania and they provide an aerial view of the national parks and you can also be able to see the wildlife species.
Seeing the wildlife species around Tanzania can also be combined with hiking excursions, bird watching, canoeing, cultural tours among other activities carried out around the country during safaris.
